GreenLight Laser Prostate Vaporisation (PVP)

GreenLight photoselective vaporisation uses a 532 nm laser, whose green light is strongly absorbed by blood-rich tissue, to vaporise the obstructing part of an enlarged prostate through the urethra. The tissue is turned to vapour rather than cut out.

It relieves obstruction to a degree close to TURP with very little bleeding, which is why it is favoured for men who take anticoagulants. Because tissue is vaporised, little or nothing is available for pathology, and it is slower and less complete in very large glands.

What GreenLight Laser Prostate Vaporisation (PVP) involves

Under spinal or general anaesthetic, a laser cystoscope is passed to the prostate with saline running continuously. A side-firing fibre is held about a millimetre from the surface and swept slowly back and forth, creating bubbles as the tissue vaporises. The surgeon works from the bladder neck downward, opening a channel through the middle lobe and then each side lobe until a wide cavity reaches the capsule, stopping above the sphincter. The 180 watt XPS system with its cooled MoXy fibre is the current version. Bleeding vessels are sealed with a lower-power setting. A catheter is inserted, often for less than 24 hours.

Who is a good candidate for GreenLight Laser Prostate Vaporisation (PVP)?

Suitable for most men needing prostate surgery for benign enlargement, with particular advantages for some.

• Bothersome symptoms or retention with a prostate up to roughly 80 to 100 ml
• Men taking warfarin, direct anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs that cannot be stopped safely
• Those with heart or lung disease for whom a short stay and minimal blood loss matter
• Men wanting a short catheter time

It is usually not the right choice if:

• Very large prostates, where laser enucleation is more efficient and durable
• When prostate tissue is needed for analysis because cancer is suspected
• Active urinary infection
• Men who place high priority on preserving ejaculation
• Bladder failure where removing obstruction would not restore voiding

Technique options

• Standard vaporisation: Sweeping ablation of tissue layer by layer. Suits small and medium glands.
• Vapo-incision or vapo-enucleation: The laser cuts out larger pieces that are then vaporised or removed; used for bigger prostates and gives some tissue for pathology.
• Comparison with HoLEP: Holmium enucleation removes more tissue and suits any size; GreenLight is quicker to learn and excellent for bleeding control.

What happens during your treatment

Operating time is 30 to 90 minutes depending on gland size. Many men go home the same day or after one night. The catheter is commonly removed the next morning, sometimes later in men who were in retention.

Preparing for your trip

Plan for 5 to 7 days in Istanbul. Your surgeon reviews photographs and your medical history before you book, and you meet in person the day before surgery for examination, marking and consent with a professional interpreter.

• Stop smoking and nicotine at least four weeks before and after surgery; it is the single biggest avoidable cause of wound problems
• Tell the team about every medicine and supplement you take; blood thinners, some herbal products and hormone treatment may need to be paused on your doctor's advice
• Arrange for someone to travel with you or to be reachable, and keep the first days at home free of work and lifting
• Book a changeable return flight; your surgeon confirms when you are fit to fly

Recovery and results

Burning and urgency are the main complaints and can last 2 to 6 weeks because a heated surface layer has to shed. Small amounts of blood or tissue flecks in the urine are normal. Light activity is fine within days; avoid straining, cycling and sex for 2 to 3 weeks. Blood thinners are managed according to your cardiologist's advice and are often continued throughout.

• Back to everyday activity: 1 to 2 weeks
• When results show: Flow improves immediately; irritation settles over 2 to 6 weeks
• How long they last: Many years; durability best in small to medium glands

Safety, risks and revision policy

Bleeding risk is low. Irritative symptoms afterwards are the most frequent complaint.

• Burning, urgency and frequency for several weeks
• Retrograde ejaculation in roughly a third to a half of men
• Urinary infection
• Temporary retention needing the catheter to be replaced
• Delayed bleeding at 1 to 3 weeks, more likely on anticoagulants
• Urethral stricture or bladder neck contracture
• Re-treatment for regrowth, somewhat more often than after enucleation

Every written proposal arranged through Clinic-Y states what the clinic covers if a correction is needed. Ask for it before you book, not after.

Cost of GreenLight Laser Prostate Vaporisation (PVP) in Türkiye

Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for GreenLight Laser Prostate Vaporisation (PVP), because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:

• The single-use laser fibre, sometimes more than one for big glands
• Prostate volume and theatre time
• Day case or overnight stay
• Pre-operative cardiology or haematology review for men on anticoagulants

Send your photographs or reports and you receive written, all-inclusive proposals from suitable teams, side by side. Reviewing your case is free.

Frequently Asked Questions