[Transurethral laser therapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia]

During the last 4 years, transurethral laser therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has become an increasingly popular alternative to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for the treatment of obstructive BPH symptoms. Clinical data so far published prove the efficacy of this new therapeutic modality, although the results are up to now possibly inferior to those achieved with TURP. On the other hand, the incidence of severe perioperative complications is significantly lower in patients treated with laser prostatectomy than in those undergoing TURP. Therefore, laser prostatectomy is a reasonable adjunct to the therapeutic spectrum for BPH in high-risk patients. Nevertheless, its role in the treatment of obstructive BPH in low-risk patients cannot be defined until long-term follow-up data are available.