Dec. 7, 2010 | Warren Searls of Hot Springs Village wishes he had heard sooner about the laser procedure for his prostate condition offered at UAMS.

Searls, 75, spent almost 20 years coping with the symptoms of an enlarged prostate that squeezed his urethra, causing urination and bladder problems. Known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the condition frequently affects men who are middle-aged and older.

Only by coincidence did Searls find one of the least-invasive treatments possible and available at UAMS: the GreenLight laser.

The prostate gets larger in most men as they get older, said UAMS’ Ayman Mahdy, M.D., a urologist who specializes in voiding dysfunction. As it grows, it can press on the urethra, causing the symptoms of BPH.

Before coming to UAMS, Searls was being treated with prescription medication, which was only minimally effective. In fact, Searls said he was miserable before being treated at UAMS.

Searls searched for a better solution, and a few months ago he had made up his mind to have a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), a common procedure for BPH. During the procedure, an instrument is inserted into the urethra to remove the portion of the prostate that is blocking urine flow. The procedure usually requires hospitalization and is done using a general or spinal anesthetic.

His plans changed recently after being admitted to UAMS for a severe digestive condition at the hospital. During treatment, Searls was taken off his medication, causing him to retain urine. Mahdy was on call that night and told Searls about a relatively new, less-invasive laser treatment that would cure his urinary condition.

Mahdy recommended that Searls receive the laser treatment because his cardiac stents and blood-thinning medication put him at higher risk for complications with the more traditional TURP procedure.

The GreenLight laser used at UAMS involves inserting a laser fiber through a scope into the urethra and positioning it to vaporize prostate tissue. The tissue is removed within a few minutes and the entire procedure takes about an hour.

“This is a safer procedure that effectively evaporates the obstructing tissue and opens the urethra channel for better voiding,” Mahdy said.

Searls was in the hospital for one night following the procedure.

“There was no problem, no bleeding, no anything,” Searls said. “It was easier than a tooth extraction.”

Today his bladder is functioning normally and he said he feels better than he has for the last 20 years.

“It’s wonderful,” he said. “I tell everybody I know about it because a lot of the men I know suffer from the same kind of thing.

“I’m so grateful that it all occurred the way it did because it’s just been great. It was providence, I guess. If Dr. Mahdy hadn’t been on call that day it might have been a different story.”