National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)
 Printable version
|
NICE recommends laser device to help thousands of men with an enlarged prostate
Thousands of men could benefit from laser treatment for an enlarged prostate as recommended in new guidance from NICE, published yesterday (Tuesday 14 June).
The medical technology guidance supports using the GreenLight XPS laser system in patients who aren’t at high risk of complications from treatment. This means men who don’t have an increased risk of bleeding, whose prostates are smaller than 100 ml and who don’t have urinary retention. For men who are high risk, there are limited alternative treatment options depending on their clinical situation. An estimated 13,600 men with enlarged prostates could benefit from treatment with this device, and it could save the NHS millions of pounds ea
ch year.
Prostate enlargement – also called benign prostatic hyperplasia – is a common condition in older men; around 60% of men aged 60 or over have the condition. An enlarged prostate can push against the urethra, making it difficult for a man to pass urine. It may also lead to repeated urinary tract infections, urinary retention and sleep problems due to the urge to urinate in the night, but the condition doesn’t pose other direct risks to health.
The device, GreenLight XPS, involves using a laser to vaporise excess prostate tissue, which eases the blocked urethra and leaves a clear channel for urine to flow. The benefits of the system include a quicker return to normal activity following treatment and a shorter period of time in hospital because the procedure can be done as a day-case. The NHS could save up to an estimated £3 million by using this device when compared with the commonly used procedure transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) because TURP requires an overnight stay in hospital.
The guidance notes that there’s currently not enough evidence to support the use of the device in high-risk patients so it recommends that specialists should collect information on outcomes if they do use the device in these patients. It also recommends that where GreenLight XPS is used, urology services should be redesigned to ensure day-case surgery is available.
Click here for full press release
