Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a urological abnormality that reduces the quality of life for middle-aged and elderly men. Especially when accompanied by bladder stones, the symptoms and discomfort can become even more severe. Therefore, it is important to quickly visit a hospital specializing in BPH surgery for the patient's health recovery.
The prostate is a walnut-sized organ found only in men, and it tends to gradually enlarge with age. When the prostate enlarges, it compresses the urethra, making urine excretion difficult. If urine is not expelled smoothly, the likelihood of bladder stones forming also increases.
The problem arises when benign prostatic hyperplasia becomes excessively prominent. The average size of the prostate is known to be around 20g. However, in cases of giant benign prostatic hyperplasia, the prostate can enlarge to over 80g.
In such cases, Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP) surgery is effective. The biggest advantage of HoLEP surgery is its ability to simultaneously address both benign prostatic hyperplasia and bladder stones. The holmium laser demonstrates excellent efficacy in removing enlarged prostatic tissue and, at the same time, fragmenting and removing bladder stones. HoLEP surgery, utilizing a holmium laser, is particularly suitable for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia accompanied by stones, as the laser can finely crush the stones, allowing for their natural expulsion. For these reasons, patient satisfaction after surgery is high, and urinary problems are often effectively resolved.
However, interestingly, not all urination problems are due to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Sometimes, urinary symptoms such as frequent urination can appear even if the prostate size is not large. This may be due to other causes, such as urethral stricture. Urethral stricture refers to a condition where the urethra narrows, making it difficult to pass urine. Lasers are also used in the treatment of urethral stricture. The narrowed part of the urethra is widened using a laser, and a stent is inserted to maintain the widened state of the urethra.
In a recent case, excellent results were achieved by widening a urethra narrowed to the size of a needle with a laser, followed by stent insertion. Before the surgery, the maximum urinary flow rate was 4.1 ml/sec, whereas after the surgery, it increased to 37.8 ml/sec, nearly ten times faster. Before the surgery, the urethra was narrow, causing a significantly slow urine expulsion rate, but it greatly improved after the procedure. Considering that the average maximum urinary flow rate for adult males is generally reported to be 15-20 ml/sec, this represents a significant improvement. The patient was astonished by the improvement in urination and was able to walk out of the hospital on the day of the surgery.
Treatment methods for urinary disorders such as benign prostatic hyperplasia continue to evolve, which is a result of the medical community's persistent efforts to provide better care to patients. It is expected that various research and attempts will continue in the future to help patients reduce discomfort and receive appropriate treatment.
Director Ryu Kyung-ho, Goldman Urology Clinic Gangnam Branch