Laser treatment encompases a variety of techniques using different
laser wavelengths, application systems, and surgical techniques to achieve contrasting tissue effects such as incision, resection, vaporization, or coagulation. Many studies have proven the clinical efficacy of the various
laser techniques for the treatment of benign prostatiuc
hyperplasia, including randomized studies versus
transurethral prostatectomy (
TURP). Recently, long-term follow-up of up to 5 years has demonstrated the durability of the results, although in some of the studies,
retreatment rates were higher than after
TURP. Median lobes were never seen as a
contraindication for treatment in the
laser based procedures. Technically,
laser treatment techniques such as side-firing transurethral coagulation, contact- and free-beam
laser vaporization, interstitial
laser coagulation, and the
holmium laser-based resection and enucleation are fully suitable for treatment of median lobes. Surprisingly, no studies focussing specifically on
laser treatment of median lobes have been published.