Laser photoirradiation has been delivered endoscopically for the treatment of both benign prostatic hyperplasia and early localized prostatic carcinoma. In treating carcinoma, aggressive transurethral resection of the prostate has been followed with laser irradiation to the remnants of malignant capsular disease. No attempt has been made heretofore to completely destroy the glandular prostate using laser irradiation alone. We performed a two-stage endoscopic laser prostatectomy in 6 adult mongrel dogs in an attempt to completely destroy the glandular prostate. Although no complications developed, histologic evaluation of the prostate revealed viable glandular elements in the midst of necrosis and atrophy. We conclude that in order to accomplish total ablation of the glandular prostate using laser photoirradiation, more precise thermal telemetry is needed.

Date Published: 28 May 1993
PDF: 3 pages
Proc. SPIE 1879, Lasers in Urology, Gynecology, and General Surgery, (28 May 1993); doi: 10.1117/12.146225

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1879:
Lasers in Urology, Gynecology, and General Surgery
Christopher J. Daly M.D.; Warren S. Grundfest M.D.; Douglas E. Johnson M.D.; Raymond J. Lanzafame M.D.; Rudolf W. Steiner; Yona Tadir M.D.; Graham M. Watson M.D., Editor(s)