Men with urinary issues caused by an enlarged prostate have a new treatment option through Community Healthcare System. Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate – or HoLEP – is a less-invasive procedure than traditional surgery and drastically reduces the need for repeat treatment.
Before this procedure became available through Community Healthcare System, men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition also called prostate gland enlargement, had no choice but to travel to Indianapolis or Chicago to undergo HoLEP, explained Kevin Parikh, MD, urologist with Community Care Network.
BPH is common in men older than 50. Those who suffer from BPH have prostate growth that blocks urine flow. Men with BPH can experience urinary urgency and frequency, inability to urinate or loss of urinary control. Patients with advanced BPH could end up in kidney failure if left untreated. The HoLEP procedure removes the obstructing prostate tissue to allow men to return to normal urination.
“In my opinion, this is the most definitive operation for BPH,” Parikh said. “It is a minimally invasive procedure to remove excess tissue from the inner portion of the prostate, using cameras and state-of-the-art lasers.
Historically, the only alternative was through a large incision in the belly. This treatment uses no incisions.”
The procedure is emerging in Northwest Indiana under Parikh, one of a small number of surgeons in the nation skilled at HoLEP. Parikh trained extensively on HoLEP at Mayo Clinic. He has presented on the topic at international conferences and has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications on the procedure.
“This is the best opportunity for a ‘one and done’ type of procedure,” Parikh explained. “The chance is less than one percent that a man will need to treat BPH again in his life after undergoing HoLEP.”
HoLEP offers quicker recovery times, with men typically going home within 24 hours of the procedure. Parikh, a Schererville native, is excited to bring this innovative procedure to Northwest Indiana.
“I have already treated many patients in the area, and they are enjoying a better quality of life with urinary relief,” he said.
For more information about urology services, visit COMHS.org/services/urology.
