HoLEP

There are several techniques for treating difficulty urinating caused by the prostate (and its interaction with bladder function).

These techniques consist of relieving the obstruction caused by the enlarged gland. The established gold-standard techniques until recently were transurethral resection (the "scraping") and transvesical prostatectomy (through an opening in the bladder). Urolift and Rezum are minimally invasive techniques with very selective indications. All techniques remove the adenoma (benign growth) that occurs in the prostate.

Currently, HoLEP – where enucleation is performed using the energy of a pulsed laser, allowing precise dissection without bleeding – is becoming the most widely used technique. The catheter is usually removed on the first postoperative day. Main advantages: minimal bleeding, early discharge, much lower chance of recurrence, and very good urinary flow. Disadvantages: a longer procedure, and occasionally some urgency incontinence in the early postoperative period.