Page 18 - UHN Year In Review 2014-15: Patients As Partners In Care

Surgery and Critical Care

GreenLight Laser transforms
prostate surgery

Dr. Dean Elterman, a men’s health expert who teaches other urologists how to use the GreenLight Laser,
is one of only a handful or surgeons in Ontario trained to use the tool (Photo: UHN)

An advanced, minimally invasive patients all over Ontario for the new The laser procedure can also be used
“bloodless” surgical technique that treatment. The laser treatment on patients who are on blood thin-
is able to treat many more men with enables patients to be in and out ners such as Plavix or warfarin, used
enlarged prostates as outpatients, of the hospital in hours in contrast to treat heart disease and reduce the
with fewer complications, is now to the usual hospital stay of one to risk of stroke. Previously, patients
being offered at University Health three nights, results in little or no had to stop taking these medications
Network. blood loss, shorter catheterization before standard surgery, which
and a return to work in about a week, involves blood loss. The laser
Toronto Western Hospital is the only rather than the usual four to six vaporizes tissue and cauterizes blood
academic teaching hospital in the weeks with traditional open surgery vessels, so the risk of bleeding is
city to provide GreenLight Laser, through the abdomen. much less.
with ever-increasing requests from

18 Patients as Partners in Care