‘Vapourise’ enlarged prostates

Over 70 to 80 per cent of men over the age of 60 in India suffer from prostate enlargement, said urologists in the city. Enlargement of the prostate or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is very common as it is an age-related ailment, and strikes gradually over a period of several years, especially post-50.

With the ‘grey’ population in India on the rise, it is imperative to make men aware of maintaining their prostate health, said urologists.

The good news is there has been tremendous research and advancement in treatment for enlarged prostate. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, 75, recently underwent a surgery for BPH at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. The three-hour-long procedure, called Trans Urethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP), was done through endoscopy.

“With the current medical treatment for enlargement of the prostate, 30 to 40 per cent of patients would not require surgery,” said JG Lalmalani, urologist, Jaslok Hospital. While the prime minister opted for TURP, in spite of the slow recovery period and post-operative pain, there is an alternative — a laser procedure which eliminates all discomfort. The patient can get the procedure done in two hours and resume work the very next day, opined urologists.

“The latest treatment — a high-power Potassium-Titanyl-Phosphate (KTP) laser — was first introduced at the Army Hospital in Delhi to treat Mulayam Singh Yadav,” said Lalmalani. An advanced KTP laser which uses 120 watts as opposed to the earlier 90 watts is now available at Jaslok hospital.

“KTP laser is used for photoselective vaporisation. In layman’s terms, the laser makes the prostate vapourise,” explained Shardul Shetye, urologist.