Surgeon treats enlarged prostate with laser system

An Oklahoma City doctor is using the newest medical laser system to treat enlarged prostates, and prevent kidney failures, bladder stones and other urological difficulties in men.

Prostate disease

Definition: Inflammation, enlargement and cancer of the prostate.

Prevalence in United States: More than 20 million men are affected by prostate disease.

Prevalence in Oklahoma: 2,300 new cases of prostate cancer are reported annually.

More about prostate enlargement

Symptoms: Frequent need to urinate (especially at night), urgent need to urinate, painful urination, difficulty starting urination, dribbling or leaking after urination, the feeling that the bladder never completely empties and a weak urine stream.

Cause: Occurs during the natural aging process.

Diagnosis: Detected through urodynamic studies.

Prevalence in United States: Affects more than 14 million men.

Prevalence by age: More than half of all men 50 and older have an enlarged prostate. More than 80 percent of men 80 and older have an enlarged prostate.

Prevalence by treatment: Enlarged prostates account for 25 percent of patients seen by urologists.

Treatment: More than 140,000 men undergo invasive surgical treatment for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia each year.

Source: OU Physicians, state Health Department

Dr. Carson Wong treats “Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia,” also known as an enlarged prostate, with a new surgical laser device.

An enlarged prostate is the most common men’s health problem, affecting about half of all men age 50 and older. The prostate can grow from the size of a walnut to that of a large grapefruit, Wong said.

With seven patients this summer, Wong has used the new “GreenLight HPS” laser to vaporize enlarged lobes of the prostate and open up the urethra.

The laser vaporizes and removes enlarged prostate tissue that causes urinary-flow obstruction, the physician said.

“Results are almost immediate, causing virtually no blood loss and preserving sexual function. Patients are usually discharged from the hospital several hours after completion of the procedure and need only a few days for recovery,” Wong said.

Using two types of surgical lasers in 2005 and 2006, Wong has treated patients ages 48 to 94 who suffered from enlarged prostates.

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