Holep
What is HoLEP?
HoLEP is the short name of the "Prostate Enucleation with Holmium Laser" procedure. It is a form of treatment used for age-related benign prostatic enlargement (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia - BPH).
How is HoLEP applied?
The procedure is carried out with a completely closed (endoscopic) method. The urinary tract is entered through the camera and the device is attached to the end of the camera. The growing portion of the prostate is peeled off the capsule of the prostate, removed as a block and thrown into the bladder. We can compare the process of completely separating the inside of an orange from the skin, leaving only the skin behind. A second procedure called morcellation, which can be compared to the grating process, is performed so that the enlarged prostate thrown into the bladder like a block can be easily removed. After that, the operation is terminated. In HoLEP surgery, the patient is not incised and the patient does not feel pain during and after the procedure.
What awaits the patient after the HoLEP procedure?
After the HoLEP procedure, a catheter is inserted into the patient as with the classic methods, and the patient is monitored for a while after surgery. However, in the HoLEP procedure, the probe is taken an average of 18-24 hours earlier than with conventional methods. On average, patients stay with a catheter for only 1-2 days.
What benefits does HoLEP offer?
In classic closed prostate surgery methods, the inner tissue of the prostate is scraped off the shell bit by bit. Accordingly, there is a risk that prostate tissue will remain. In some patients, this may carry a long-term risk of disease recurrence and even short- to medium-term emptying problems. In HoLEp, the inner tissue of the prostate is completely separated from the prostate capsule without any scraping. With classic closed methods, the procedure takes a very long time for large prostates. Even if the prostate is larger than a certain size, closed surgery is not recommended and open surgery is performed. There is no size limit in HoLEP. It can even be applied to overly enlarged prostates. Classic closed methods usually lead to more blood loss. Especially in patients who use blood thinners and have bleeding disorders, it is not always possible to do this safely. However, HoLEP is a surgical method that has the potential to be performed with less blood loss.