Efficacy and safety of photoselective vaporization of the prostate in patients with prostatic obstruction induced by advanced prostate cancer

Objective: We evaluated the efficacy and outcome of laser photoselective vaporization of prostate (PVP) in patients with voiding difficulty due to prostatic obstruction induced by advanced prostate cancer (PC). Methods: We retrospectively studied the records of 13 patients with advanced PC and prostatic obstruction with a mean prostate volume of 65.0 ml. All of the 13 patients received PVP between 2006 and 2010 due to the symptoms of voiding difficulty or acute urinary retention (AUR; N = 10) refractory to medical treatment. Perioperative safety and functional results were evaluated. Results: Lasering time ranged from 24 to 20 minutes (mean 67 ± 26), during which 66–423 KJ (mean 172 ± 95) of laser energy was delivered. All patients could resume voiding function with a mean catheterization time of 3.0 days. Conclusions: Our preliminary results suggest that PVP is a safe and effective procedure for relieving prostatic obstruction without intraoperative blood transfusion, water intoxication, or other complications in patients with advanced prostate cancer