Abstract

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• For men experiencing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) refractory to medical therapy, there have been numerous developments in the treatment options offered for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in the recent years. Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) has remained the reference standard for men with prostates sized 30 cc-80 cc, while open prostatectomy is universally guidelines-recommended in the absence of enucleation, for men with prostates larger than 80 cc-100 cc. While these techniques are effective, they have the potential for bleeding complications requiring transfusions, electrolyte abnormalities such as TURP syndrome, and often require prolonged hospitalization. GreenLight photoselective vaporization (GL-PVP) with the XPS LBO-180W system offers a minimally invasive treatment that can be carried out on essential any sized prostate gland. In addition, the GL-PVP procedure can be done as a same day discharge surgery requiring no overnight hospital admission and allows patients to continue any necessary anti-coagulants given the significantly reduced risks of bleeding complications or TURP syndrome. In 2005, the anatomic vaporization-incision technique (VIT) using the XPS LBO-180W system was described to address larger prostate volumes. VIT combines principles of traditional GL-PVP and enucleation techniques to identify the reference surgical capsule early-on into the surgery and resect portions of prostate adenoma without the need for tissue morcellation. Early studies comparing anatomic VIT to standard PVP outcomes demonstrated significant improvements of IPSS and uroflowmetry parameters, along with statistically significant greater PSA reduction at 6 months, particularly in prostate volumes greater than 80 cc. The objective of this article is to detail our surgical approach to the anatomic GreenLight laser vaporization-incision technique using the XPS LBO-180W system, based on extensive personal experience with both enucleation and vaporization techniques using various laser technologies. Standardization of the VIT based on proper cystoscopy, knowledge of prostate anatomy with preoperative ultrasound, and routine technique is essential to developing consistent, reproducible and optimal surgical outcomes.