Research
Holmium laser prostate enucleation is a minimally invasive, permanent and highly effective solution that achieves excellent functional results.
Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate, also known as HoLEP (Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate), is a minimally invasive surgical procedure indicated for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, one of the most common conditions in men.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the benign enlargement of the prostate gland, which compresses the urethra and blocks the flow of urine, causing difficulty urinating. In severe cases, this condition can lead to bladder stones and even kidney failure.
This procedure is suitable for all sizes of adenomas and completely eliminates them , leaving no remnants of adenomatous tissue that can recur, unlike other types of lasers that vaporize or fulgurate (burn), leaving residual adenomatous tissue that can grow back over time and cause obstruction. The patient regains their quality of life in terms of urinary function.
Therefore, Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate is a minimally invasive, definitive, and highly effective solution that achieves the same excellent functional results as open surgery, but minimizes the complications and risks of the procedure. Furthermore, it allows for the treatment of other concomitant conditions such as bladder stones, urethral strictures, or bladder tumors.
Furthermore, unlike other types of lasers, it allows the removed tissue to undergo histopathological analysis to diagnose the presence of incidental prostate cancer in patients without prior data suggesting this pathology.
The Holmium laser is also indicated for the fragmentation of urinary stones . It is a minimally invasive endoscopic technique, without skin incisions, that allows for the breakup of stones in the bladder, ureter, and kidney for subsequent removal.
The patient receives a safe solution to their problem with a rapid return to activity, resuming their daily routine within a few days of discharge. Because it is a minimally invasive surgery, there is no bleeding.
Since its first application in the 90s, the holmium laser has offered multiple advantages for the endoscopic treatment of urinary lithiasis:
The specialist must correctly adjust the energy, frequency, and pulse duration of the holmium laser, whether high or low power, to optimize the efficiency of the lithotripsy and contribute to the success of the treatment.
At the ROC Clinic Lithiasis Unit, we perform over 500 endourological procedures annually using Holmium laser lithofragmentation, with different power levels, achieving optimal results in accordance with scientific literature, since over 90% of patients are free of lithiasis in a single procedure, the transfusion rate is zero and the average postoperative stay is 14 hours.
This technique requires a high level of endoscopic skill and experience far exceeding that of other types of lasers. At ROC Clinic, we have performed over 3.500 prostate enucleations since 2007 on patients with prostates weighing between 40 and 300 grams. This figure makes us the Urology group with the highest number of procedures using this technique in Spain.
We are also accredited by Lumenis, the company that markets the Holmium Laser equipment, as instructors for other specialists who wish to begin and advance in this technique. Within our HoLROC project, we have developed the first training program using a simulator with realistic prostate phantoms, designed for urologists and urology residents.
