A comparative study of laser ablation and transurethral electroresection for benign prostatic hyperplasia: results of a 6-month follow-up. Hybrid laser treatment compared with transurethral resection of the prostate for symptomatic bladder outlet obstruction caused by a large benign prostate: a prospective, randomized trial with a 6-month follow-up. A prospective randomized comparison of transurethral resection to visual laser ablation of the prostate for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. A prospective randomized controlled trial of hybrid laser treatment or transurethral resection of the prostate, with a 1-year follow-up. The Oxford Laser Prostate Trial: sensitivity to change of three measures of outcome. A step towards day case prostatectomy. Contact laser prostatectomy compared to TURP in prostatic hyperplasia smaller than 40 ml. Six-month follow-up with complex urodynamic assessment. Randomized comparison of transurethral electroresection and holmium: YAG laser vaporization for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. A multicenter, randomized, prospective study of endoscopic laser ablation versus transurethral resection of the prostate. A randomized prospective study of laser ablation of the prostate versus transurethral resection of the prostate in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Randomized trial of safety and efficacy of transurethral resection of the prostate using contact laser versus electrocautery. Transurethral microwave thermotherapy (Prostatron version 2.5) compared with transurethral resection of the prostate for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a randomized, controlled, parallel study. Feedback microwave thermotherapy versus TURP for clinical BPH--a randomized controlled multicenter study. A randomised single institution study comparing laser prostatectomy and transurethral resection of the prostate. Laser or cryotherapy for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a randomized study to compare efficacy and side effects. A randomized prospective study of transurethral electrovaporization vs laser ablation of the prostate in men with benign prostatic hypertrophy. Combination of interventional pulmonology techniques (Nd:YAG laser resection and brachytherapy) with external beam radiotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer patients with Karnofsky Index < or =50. Laser vaporization versus laser excision conization in the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Transurethral microwave thermotherapy versus transurethral resection for symptomatic benign prostatic obstruction: a prospective randomized study with a 2-year follow-up. Efficacy and safety of photodynamic therapy versus Nd-YAG laser resection in NSCLC with airway obstruction. Long-term functional outcome after early surgery compared with laser and medicine in open-angle glaucoma. Adjuvant laser acupuncture in the treatment of whiplash injuries: a prospective, randomized placebo-controlled trial.
To compare the efficacy of standard transurethral electroresection of the prostate (TURP) and visual laser ablation in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
                In a randomized prospective study, the prostate glands of 60 patients with symptomatic bladder outlet obstruction caused by BPH were treated with TURP or visual ablation with the Ultraline side-firing Nd:YAG laser; the patients were assessed using standard symptom scores, the measurement of residual urine and uroflowmetry both before and at 3 and 6 months after treatment.
                All patients in both treatment groups had a significant improvement in symptoms and objective measures of voiding. The laser treatment gave significantly better improvements in symptom score than did TURP (P = 0.034), but TURP produced significantly better peak urinary flow rates (P = 0.025).
                These early results indicate that laser ablation of BPH may be a good alternative in the surgical treatment of this disease. To compare the efficacy and safety of hybrid laser treatment, i.e. the combination of visual Nd-YAG laser ablation of prostate and contact Nd-YAG laser vaporization of prostate, with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) in the treatment of patients with symptomatic bladder outlet obstruction secondary to a benign high-volume prostate.
                Forty-five symptomatic patients with hyperplastic prostates of >40 mL were randomized to undergo either hybrid laser treatment (21) or TURP (24). All patients were evaluated before and after treatment with a complex urodynamic assessment, and were accepted into the study only if they had infravesical obstruction in the pressure-flow study. In the hybrid method, Nd-YAG laser energy was first delivered by an 'adenoma-dependent' approach to all areas of the obstructing lateral lobe tissue through a side-firing gold-alloy tip fibre at 40 W for 90 s of 'burn'. The prostatic urethra was then opened and the median lobe vaporized using the a contact probe at 40 W. Patients were re-evaluated 3 and 6 months after treatment.
                Both treatments proved to be safe, and improved the subjective and objective outcome measures at 3 and 6 months compared with baseline values. After 3 months, there was a greater improvement in the TURP group in peak urinary flow rate (Qmax; P<0.01), mean urinary flow rate (Qave; P<0.01) and postvoid residual urine volume (P<0.05) than in the hybrid laser group. After 6 months, there was a greater improvement in the TURP group in detrusor pressure at Qmax (P<0.01), Qave (P<0.05) and prostate size (P<0.001) than in the hybrid laser group. In the pressure-flow study at 6 months, a higher proportion of patients (seven of 19) were still obstructed in the hybrid laser group than in TURP group (two of 21; P<0.05). TURP caused more intraoperative blood loss (P<0.001) and postoperative problems associated with bleeding; 38% of hybrid laser patients were discharged with a suprapubic catheter, whereas all TURP patients could urinate at discharge (P<0.01). The duration of bladder drainage was longer after hybrid laser treatment (P<0.001).
                The hybrid laser method was a safe but less effective treatment than TURP for benign prostatic enlargement in patients with prostates of >40 mL. Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) represents the accepted standard of surgical therapy for the management of symptomatic bladder outlet obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, this is a major operative procedure associated with significant perioperative morbidity. Visual laser ablation of the prostate (VLAP) utilizing a neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser represents a new technologic approach to the surgical management of BPH. We compared the relative safety and efficacy of these two surgical approaches in a prospective, randomized trial.
                At 6 investigational sites in the United States, 115 men with symptomatic BPH more than 50 years of age and not in retention, were randomly assigned to undergo either TURP (59 patients) of VLAP (56 patients). VLAP patients received a mean of 10,200 J of energy delivered in a mean of 5.5 intraprostate laser applications. At preoperative baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively, all patients underwent clinical evaluations, including ultrasonic prostatic volume determination, standardized American Urological Association (AUA)-6 symptom score, peak urine flow, postvoid residual urine volume, and quality-of-life assessment.
                Compared to TURP, the VLAP procedure required less time (23.4 versus 45.2 minutes; P < 0.01) and shorter hospitalization (1.8 versus 3.1 days, P < 0.01). VLAP was associated with a significantly lower rate of serious treatment-related complications compared to TURP (10.7% versus 35.6%; P < 0.01). Only One (2.2%) patient undergoing VLAP experienced a greater than 2.2 g/dL decrease in hemoglobin compared to 40% of TURP patients (P = 0.01). No patient in the VLAP group required blood transfusion compared with 3.4% of those undergoing TURP. Of the 115 patients, clinical outcomes measured at 1 year showed a mean improvement in AUA-6 symptom scores of -9.0 for VLAP compared with -13.3 for TURP (P < 0.04), mean increase in peak urinary flow rate of 5.3 cc/s for VLAP compared with 7.0 cc/s for TURP (P = 0.27), and mean decrease in postvoid residual urine volume of -55.4 cc for VLAP compared with -138.8 cc for TURP (P < 0.01). At 1 year, 78.2% of patients undergoing VLAP indicated that their quality of life was improved compared with 93.0% of patients undergoing TURP (P = 0.03). When compared with TURP, treatment of BPH with VLAP is associated with less hemoglobin decrease, a lower likelihood of serious complication, and requires less procedure time and a shorter hospital stay. Through a 1-year follow-up, VLAP produced significant improvement over baseline in objective and subjective outcome measures. However, for 1-year improvement in AUA-6 symptom score, postvoid residual urine volume, and quality of life, VLAP was less effective than TURP.
                In this initial study in the United States, with relatively low-energy laser applications, VLAP did not result in as complete a removal of prostatic tissue as did TURP. Considering the lower morbidity, shorter procedure and hospitalization times, and the degree of effectiveness that was achieved even at the low-energy doses used in this study, VLAP appears to be a viable and safe alternative to standard TURP. To compare the clinical outcome after hybrid laser treatment of the prostate, combining potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) and Nd:YAG lasers, with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).
                A prospective randomized trial was conducted to compare laser treatment and TURP. The hybrid laser treatment technique involved performing initial 30 W KTP vaporizing bladder neck incisions and prostatotomies followed by a 'free-paint' application of 60 W Nd:YAG coagulation energy. Patients were re-assessed after 6 weeks, 6 months and 1 year, using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and uroflowmetry. TURP was conducted using conventional methods.
                In all, 204 patients were randomized into the study; at 6 weeks there were significant differences between the groups for the IPSS (12.4 vs 9.1, P=0.001) and maximum urinary flow rates (16.1 vs 20.8 mL/S, P<0. 001) in favour of the TURP group. At 6 months and one year this difference had disappeared. Similar numbers of patients in each group complained of bothersome postoperative urinary symptoms (23% vs 19%). Blood transfusions (5% vs none) and urethral strictures (9% vs 2%) were more common after TURP, whereas more early infective complications occurred after hybrid laser treatment (24% vs 5%). Only one patient in each group required re-operation because of poor resolution of symptoms.
                At one year, hybrid KTP/Nd:YAG laser treatment of the prostate was equivalent to TURP in the improvements in IPSS, maximum urinary flow rate and post-void residual urine. To evaluate the sensitivity to change of outcome measures in a double-blind randomized controlled trial of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and contact laser prostatectomy.
                A total of 152 patients were randomized to TURP or contact laser prostatectomy using the Surgical Laser Technology (SLT) system. Preoperative data were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire containing the American Urological Association (AUA-7) symptom score, the bothersome score (benign prostatic hyperplasia impact index), and the Short Form-36 health status questionnaire (SF-36). Follow-up was at 1 and 3 months. Effect size scores were calculated to indicate the extent of change from baseline to follow-up.
                Data were available on 148 patients: 72 received laser therapy and 76 received TURP. Mean change in AUA-7 score at 3 months was 7.3 in the laser arm, compared with 11.9 in the TURP arm (P < 0.05). Furthermore, substantial change was detected in both groups on the bothersome score. However, very few significant differences in SF-36 dimension scores from baseline to 3 months were detected.
                The SF-36 at both baseline and follow-up indicated a similar level of health status as that reported in the general population. Subsequently, the measure did not improve on any dimensions. Our data support the claim of some researchers that shorter disease-specific indices are vital to the evaluation of treatment regimens in clinical trials, especially when the general health of the patients is similar to that of the population. To compare laser prostatectomy, using both side-fire and contact lasers, with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) to identify the advantages and disadvantages of all three in the short-and long-term (1 year).
                Forty patients were randomized into one of four groups undergoing TURP, side-fire laser prostatectomy alone, side-fire with debridement and contact laser prostatectomy. Strict entry criteria ensured that no patients with malignancy were selected. The patients were reviewed after 3, 6 and 12 months.
                The duration of operation and length of hospital stay were significantly shorter in those undergoing laser side-fire treatment than those undergoing TURP. However, the early (3-month) symptom score was significantly worse in those treated by side-fire laser than in those treated by side-fire laser with debridement. After 1 year there was no significant difference in mean symptom score and mean urinary flow rate among the four groups.
                Laser prostatectomy offers the prospect of a shorter theatre and hospital stay and, by debriding the thermocoagulated tissue, the early irritative symptoms were reduced, with a significant improvement in symptom score after 3 months in patients with small prostates. To compare the efficacy and safety of contact laser vaporization (CLV) of the prostate and transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).
                Fifty patients with symptomatic prostatic hyperplasia with prostate volumes less than 40 ml were randomized to CLV or TURP treatment. All patients had infravesical obstruction confirmed preoperatively by pressure-flow studies.
                CLV lasted longer (51 +/- 13 min versus 34 +/- 12 min; p < 0.001), caused less bleeding (57 +/- 49 ml versus 175 +/- 133 ml; p < 0.001) and required longer bladder drainage time (4.3 +/- 6.1 versus 1.7 +/- 0.8 days; p < 0.01) than TURP. At 6-month follow-up, both treatments had improved objective urinary parameters and effectively reduced subjective symptoms. There were no significant differences between the study groups in symptoms scores (DanPSS-1), peak urinary flow rates (Qmax) and post-void residuals (PVR). Six months after treatment the detrusor pressure at peak urinary flow rate (PdetQmax) was 38.3 +/- 9.7 cm H2O in CLV patients and 31.3 +/- 9.9 cm H2O in TURP patients (NS). CLV treatment caused less retrograde ejaculation than TURP (1/16 potent CLV men versus 13/16 potent TURP men; p < 0.001).
                Contact laser prostatectomy proved to be a safe procedure which improved subjective and objective urinary parameters during 6-month follow-up as effectively as TURP in the treatment of symptomatic infravesical obstruction caused by minimal or moderate benign prostate enlargement. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of holmium:YAG laser vaporization v transurethral electroresection (TURP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia.
                Thirty-six patients were randomized. Two laser procedures (60 to 80 W) were performed for one TURP. Symptom Score, peak flow rate, potency, and ejaculation status were measured at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months.
                The mean operative time was 75 minutes for laser and 56 minutes for TURP (P = 0.0407). With a mean laser energy delivered of 103.6 kJ, hemostasis was satisfactory during vaporization. The mean catheterization time was 1.7 and 2.1 days in the laser and TURP group, respectively. For the laser and TURP groups, the mean AUA Score improved from 20 preoperatively to 7 and from 24.1 to 5, respectively, at 12 months. The mean peak flow increased from 8.4 to 19.5 mL/sec and from 7.6 to 16.8 ml/sec, respectively, at 12 months. These results are not statistically different. No significant initial dysuria occurred. No significant difference between the groups appeared in potency or ejaculatory status during the follow-up. One patient in the laser group (Day 5) and two in the TURP group (2nd and 6th month) had to undergo a second procedure to relieve obstruction.
                Although taking slightly longer to accomplish, holmium:YAG laser vaporization of BPH provides early results very similar to those of TURP with a shorter catheterization time and no initial dysuria or pain. To assess the safety and efficacy of endoscopic laser ablation of the prostate (ELAP), performed with the Urolase fiber and the neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser, compared to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) in patients with bladder outflow obstruction secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
                In this multicenter, prospective, randomized study, a total of 151 patients were treated (ELAP, 76; TURP, 75) of whom 137 completed 1 year follow-up (ELAP, 67; TURP, 70). Safety parameters included measurement of preoperative and 24-hour postoperative sodium, hematocrit, and hemoglobin values and careful monitoring of adverse events. Efficacy was assessed with the American Urological Association symptom score (6), urinary flow rates, and residual urinary volume measurements.
                There was 1 death in each group during the study period unrelated to the treatment procedure. There was a clinically significant improvement in all efficacy parameters in both groups. Between group comparisons favored TURP in maximum flow rate, residual urinary volume, and symptom score. ELAP had a better safety profile than TURP in the defined safety parameters of drop in hemoglobin and hematocrit values. In 16% of patients, a blood transfusion was required after TURP compared with no transfusions in the ELAP group. Urinary tract infections and dysuria were more frequent in the ELAP group.
                ELAP performed with the Urolase fiber is a useful alternative therapy to TURP in patients presenting with bladder outflow obstruction secondary to BPH. To compare the safety and efficacy of laser ablation of the prostate, one of the minimally invasive treatments available for men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).
                A prospective randomized study of 100 men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, with 50 patients in each treatment arm, was conducted. All patients met the entry criteria: age older than 45 years, no history of carcinoma of the prostate, a peak flow rate less than 15 mL/s, medical therapy failure, and the ability to undergo regional or general anesthesia. All patients underwent a preoperative evaluation consisting of the American Urological Association (AUA) symptom score, uroflowmetry, pressure-flow study, transrectal ultrasound for prostate volume, and serum prostate-specific antigen determination. Patients underwent either TURP or laser ablation of the prostate using the potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP)/neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser. Patients were seen for follow-up at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months.
                The mean age was 68.2 years (range 45 to 90) for the laser group and 67.4 years (range 54 to 82) for the TURP group. The mean AUA symptom score was 22 for the laser group and 21 for the TURP group. The mean peak uroflow rate was 7.6 +/- 3.4 mL/s for the laser group and 6.5 +/- 4.0 mL/s for the TURP group. At 12 months of follow-up, the mean AUA symptom score had decreased to 7 (-69.5%) for the laser group and to 3 (-80.9%) for the TURP group. The mean peak uroflow rate increased to 15.4 mL/s (+ 107.8%) for the laser group and to 16.7 mL/s (+ 150.7%) for the TURP cohort. Seventy-five percent of the laser group had a 50% or greater decrease in their individual AUA symptom score compared with 93% of the TURP group. Sixty-five percent of the laser cohort had a 50% or greater increase in their peak uroflow rate compared with 75% of the TURP cohort.
                Laser prostatectomy produced improvements in the peak flow rate and symptom score similar to those produced by TURP. The patients who underwent laser treatment required a longer period to reach maximum improvement, which probably reflects the lack of tissue debulking at the time of surgery. Further improvement in laser technology will be required to produce more immediate results. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of contact laser ablation of the prostate (CLAP) vs. transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) in symptomatic benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). During a 1-year period (1995-1996), 37 males 50 years of age or older were randomized to either CLAP using Nd:YAG laser treatment or TURP. Patients with Qmax <15 mL/s, American Urological Association (AUA) symptom score >12, and postvoid residual (PVR) >125 mL were enrolled. Patients were excluded if they had prior surgical treatment for BPH or known conditions that could affect bladder function. Comparisons of preoperative and postoperative symptom scores, Qmax, PVR, total catheter time, hospital stay, complications, and hematocrit changes were performed. A 2:1 randomization was used, which resulted in 26 CLAP and 12 TURP patients. One-year follow-up data were available for 21 CLAP and 7 TURP patients. The mean prostate volume, age, AUA symptom score, and Qmax were not significantly different between the two arms. Significant differences in favor of CLAP were shorter catheter time (27.2 vs. 40.4 hours; p < .05) and shorter hospital stays (28.5 vs. 60.0 hours; p < .05). The only other significant difference between the two arms was a lower AUA symptom score in favor of TURP at 1 year (4.7 vs. 8.4; p < .05). Qmax, PVR, and postoperative hematocrit were similar between the groups. The only complications included recatheterizations, which occurred more frequently in the TURP patients (25% vs. 14%). CLAP appears to be slightly less effective in AUA symptom score reduction; however, it is equally safe and is superior for shortening catheter time and hospital stay compared to TURP. To compare transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) with urethral cooling in a high-energy protocol (Prostatron version 2.5), with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for the treatment of symptomatic, uncomplicated, urodynamically obstructive benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
                Patients with moderate to severe symptomatic, uncomplicated BPH, unequivocally obstructed as assessed from the Abrams-Griffith nomogram, who were technically suitable for either form of treatment, were randomized into two groups of 30 patients each to undergo either TUMT or TURP. Five efficacy variables, i.e. the American Urological Association (AUA) symptom score, maximum flow rate (Qmax), post-void residual urine volume (PVR), voiding pressure at maximal flow (Pdet max) and prostatic volume determined by ultrasonography (PV) were measured initially and 6 months after treatment using a defined protocol. Complications were recorded during and up to 6 months after the treatment. As the variables were independent, the data were analysed using a paired t-test for each to assess the treatment effect for each group.
                After TURP, all the variables improved significantly; after TUMT, the symptoms improved both clinically and statistically (P < 0.001), with the mean AUA symptom score decreasing from 18.4 to 5.2. However, none of the objective variables improved after TUMT. The energy delivered under software control correlated poorly with prostatic volume (r = 0.322). TUMT had considerably lower morbidity than TURP, but failure of ejaculation occurred in four of 18 sexually active men after TUMT.
                Despite considerable improvement in their symptoms, TUMT using the Prostatron and Prostasoft v2.5 did not alleviate obstruction in patients with BPH. Patients treated using TUMT controlled by this software should be informed of the possibility of ejaculatory dysfunction. To compare the outcome of a microwave thermotherapy feedback system that is based on intraprostatic temperature measurement during treatment (ProstaLund Feedback Treatment or PLFT) with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in a randomized controlled multicenter study. The safety of the two methods was also investigated.
                The study was performed at 10 centers in Scandinavia and the United States. A total of 154 patients with clinical BPH were randomized to PLFT or TURP (ratio 2:1); 133 of them completed the study and were evaluated at the end of the study 12 months after treatment. Outcome measures included the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), urinary flow, detrusor pressure at maximal urinary flow (Qmax), prostate volume, and adverse events. Patients were seen at 3, 6, and 12 months. Responders were defined according to a combination of IPSS and Qmax: IPSS 7 or less, or a minimal 50% gain, and/or Qmax 15 mL/s or greater or a minimal 50% gain.
                No significant differences in outcome at 12 months were found between PLFT and TURP for IPSS, Qmax, or detrusor pressure. The prostate volume measured with transrectal ultrasonography was reduced by 30% after PLFT and 51% after TURP. Serious adverse events related to the given treatment were reported in 2% after PLFT and in 17% after TURP. Mild and moderate adverse events were more common in the PLFT group. With the criteria mentioned above, 82% and 86% of the patients were characterized as responders after 12 months in the PLFT and TURP groups, respectively. The post-treatment catheter time was 3 days in the TURP group and 14 days in the PLFT group.
                The outcome of microwave thermotherapy with intraprostatic temperature monitoring was comparable with that seen after TURP in this study. From both a simplicity and safety point of view, PLFT appears to have an advantage. Taken together, our findings make us conclude that within a 1-year perspective microwave thermotherapy with PLFT is an attractive alternative to TURP in the treatment of BPH. We concluded a prospective randomised study comparing conventional electrocautery transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) to laser prostatectomy using a right-angled Nd:YAG beam reflector. Seventy-one patients were evaluable, 34 laser and 37 TURP. Fifty patients have completed 6 months of follow-up. Using standard post prostatectomy outcome parameters of maximum flow rate and post void residual urine, laser prostatectomy shows equivalence at 6 months, with mean maximum flow rates of 8.76 ml/sec preoperatively improving to 15.47 ml/sec at 6 months, whilst for TURP patients, flow rates improved from a mean of 9.48 ml/sec preoperatively to 19.1 ml/sec at 6 months. Symptom scores remain higher for the laser patients at this time with a mean score of 9.27 compared to 4.43 for TURP patients. However, morbidity in the laser group is less, particularly given the absence of postoperative bleeding and the necessity for blood transfusion. A randomized study was performed to compare efficacy and side effects of laser and cryotherapy: 51 patients were treated with laser vaporization and 50 patients with cryotherapy. Success rates for laser and cryotherapy were not significantly different. Success rates were significantly related to lesion size. Grade of CIN, positive endocervical curettage, parity, and age at treatment were not found to be related. Vaginal discharge, both in duration and amount, was significantly less in patients treated with laser vaporization, compared with cryotherapy, but pain and bleeding occurred more often in patients treated with laser vaporization. A brief review of possible sources of bias in comparative studies on laser and cryotherapy is given, indicating the preference for a randomized study. It is concluded that widespread introduction of laser facilities in smaller centers is not justified, because the success rates are not better than those of cryotherapy, and because the advantages of less discharge are outweighed by the high cost. A prospective randomized study comparing transurethral electrovaporization (TVP) vs laser ablation of the prostate was undertaken to compare the efficacy and safety of the procedures.
                A total of 31 patients underwent treatment, with 20 patients receiving electrovaporization surgery and 11 patients undergoing laser treatment. Patients underwent initial evaluation consisting of an American Urological Association (AUA) symptom score, prostate specific antigen (PSA), uroflowometry, pressure flow, and transrectal ultrasound for prostate volume. Patients were seen in follow-up at 1, 3 and 6 months.
                A total of 31 patients with a 2:1 randomization of TVP to laser treatment were enrolled. The laser patients had a mean pre-operative AUA symptom score of 19.0 and scores of 9.0, 6.0 and 5.0 at 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-up. The TVP patients had a mean pre-operative symptom score of 22.0 and scores of 7.0, 8.0 and 5.0 at 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-up. Mean peak uroflow (PF) rate pre-operative was 10.7 for the laser group and 7.7 for the TVP group. At 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-up, mean PF rates of 13.3, 17.6 and 16.5 were present for the laser patients and 15.0, 17.5 and 14.2 for the TVP group. The differences were not statistically significant. There were 6 complications in the laser patients and 7 complications in the TVP group. Operative time was a mean of 27 min for the laser patients and 46 min for the TVP group, and the difference in operative time was statistically significant.
                At 6-month follow-up the improvement in symptoms score and peak flow rate are comparable in both treatment groups. The electrovaporization procedure required significantly longer to perform than the laser procedure. Long-term follow-up is required to see if these results remain sustainable for electrovaporization therapy. To compare Nd: YAG laser resection with Nd: YAG laser plus brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in the palliation of malignant central airway obstruction symptoms due to lung cancer.
                In this prospective non-randomized study we evaluated the effects of Nd:YAG laser photoresection alone vs. Nd:YAG laser resection in combination with brachytherapy and EBRT on cough, dyspnoea, thoracic pain, haemoptysis, body weight loss, atelectasis, postobstructive pneumonia, endoscopic findings, disease-free period and survival rate in lung cancer patients. Only patients with Karnofsky index (KI) < or =50 were included. Sixty-four patients were divided into 2 groups: group I patients ( = 20) were treated only with Nd: YAG laser, and group II patients (n = 44) were treated with Nd: YAG laser followed by brachytherapy and EBRT.
                Group I patients showed statistically significant improvement in all investigated parameters but cough. Group II patients achieved significant improvement in all investigated parameters. Comparative statistical analysis between the 2 groups revealed statistically significant improvement in group II with regard to dyspnoea, haemoptysis, KI and atelectasis. No significant improvement in group II was seen when other investigated parameters were considered. Disease-free period and survival rate were significantly longer in group II (p< or =0.0005).
                The combination of interventional pulmonology procedures with standard modalities is the best option for the treatment of selected lung cancer patients. One hundred patients with histologically confirmed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia suitable for ablative therapy were randomly allocated to treatment by either laser vaporization or laser excision conization under local anesthesia in the outpatient colposcopy clinic. The two methods were compared with respect to the immediate surgical complications, ease of performance, and long-term complications. They were comparable in most respects, and both were well accepted by the patients. Laser excision had the added advantage of providing further material for histologic examination to confirm the absence of invasion and the completeness of excision of the lesion. To compare the outcome of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) on symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
                Patients with symptomatic BPH were treated by either TURP (32 patients; mean age 70 +/- 6 years) or TUMT (37 patients; mean age 67 +/- 9 years) and assessed using the Madsen-Iversen symptom score, measurements of urinary free flow rate and post-void residual urine volume, digital rectal examination, transrectal ultrasonography, cystometry and pressure-flow measurement, ultrasonography or intravenous pyelography (IVP) of the upper urinary tract, urine analysis and routine blood chemistry including serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. Examinations were repeated at fixed intervals for up to 24 months after treatment.
                After both TURP and TUMT there was an improvement in symptom score, residual urine volume, free flow rate and infravesical obstruction. The improvements of free flow rate and obstruction were more pronounced after TURP. Serious complications, such as bleeding requiring a re-operation, occurred only in patients who underwent TURP.
                Satisfactory results were obtained after both treatments and the improvements with either treatment lasted for at least 24 months. A prospective controlled randomized trial was performed in order to assess the effectiveness and safety of photodynamic therapy versus laser resection in 31 patients with partial or complete tracheobronchial obstruction due to inoperable non-small cell lung cancer. Fourteen patients received dihaematoporphyrin ether and argon dye laser photoradiation, and 17 patients received Nd-YAG laser resection. Endoluminal obstruction of >75% was found in 77.4% of the patients. Among the symptoms, cough was more severe in the Nd-YAG group (p=0.02). Patients in both groups experienced symptomatic relief after treatment (p=0.003). Patients in the photodynamic therapy (PDT) group showed a significantly longer time until treatment failure (p=0.03) and longer median survival (p=0.007). Bronchitis and photosensitization (both in the PDT group) were the most common adverse effects. There was one death, probably related to treatment, in the PDT group. Photodynamic therapy and neodymium-yttrium aluminium garnet laser resection showed similar effectiveness and safety in the palliation of symptoms. The more prolonged survival in the photodynamic therapy group may have been due to differences in tumour stage between the groups. The degree of obstruction improved after treatment in both groups. In conclusion, photodynamic therapy is a valid method of palliation in partially or totally obstructing non-small cell lung carcinoma. This randomly allocated prospective clinical study was designed to assess the relative efficacy of laser trabeculoplasty, medical therapy, and trabeculectomy used as the primary treatment in open-angle glaucoma, with particular regard to the level of intraocular pressure control and the amount of visual field decay. No patient had received any antiglaucoma treatment before entry into the trial.
                One hundred sixty-eight patients were entered into the trial and randomly allocated into one of the three treatment groups--laser, medicine, or surgery. Follow-up was for a minimum of 5 years. The patients were monitored in the standard way, including intraocular pressure estimations and visual field tests (initially using the Friedmann analyzer and later including Humphrey automated perimetry).
                Despite similar initial composition of the three treatment groups, primary surgery resulted in the lowest mean intraocular pressures. The perimeter Friedmann visual fields were shown to have deteriorated in patients in the medicine-treated group and to a lesser extent in patients in the laser-treated group, but not in patients in the surgery-treated group. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the difference in field changes between laser and surgical treatments could be explained entirely by the difference between the intraocular pressure values at 6 months between the two groups. The same was not true for the medicine-treated group.
                Primary trabeculectomy appears to have the desired effect in preserving visual function in patients with high-tension glaucoma. This may be related to laser treatment might be expected to have the same effect. Following introduction of the compulsory use of seat belts in cars, whiplash injuries of the cervical spine have become common in everyday practice. Current treatment approaches lead to resolution of the symptoms within a short time in most cases but cannot prevent a small proportion of patients developing persistent health problems. The effects of adjuvant treatment with laser acupuncture on the acute symptoms and the results one year after the injury were studied in this prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled single-blind study. One group of patients (n = 23) were treated with laser acupuncture (5 mW HeNe laser on 22 acupuncture points for 15 s each) plus cervical collar and a combination of paracetamol and chlormezanone; a second group (n = 22) received the same treatments but with the use of a placebo laser. The treatment was given three times per week until the patient was asymptomatic. No statistically significant advantage of the laser acupuncture treatment was found in the acute phase (mobility in all three planes, duration of pain and duration of use of a cervical collar) or the chronic phase (drug use and the incidences of chronic recurrent problems such as myofascial pain, headaches, vertigo and tinnitus).
                Adjuvant laser acupuncture with a 5 mW HeNe laser and an irradiation time of 15 s appears to be ineffective in the management of whiplash injuries.
Laser techniques are a useful alternative to TURP for treating BPO. Small sample sizes and differences in study design limit any definitive conclusions regarding the preferred type of laser technique. Data were insufficient to compare laser techniques with other minimally invasive procedures.