Transurethral canine prostatectomy with the Nd:YAG laser.

Although laser energy in combination with conventional techniques has been used to ablate prostatic tissue in the dog, the use of the Nd:YAG laser alone to perform transurethral prostatectomies has not been feasible because of the difficulty of directing the laser energy into the prostate. In this study, a 600-microns quartz laser fiber with an attached gold-plated metal alloy reflector and a 1.06-microns Nd:YAG laser were used to perform transurethral laser prostatectomies in 10 mongrel dogs. Each dog received approximately 3600 J to each quadrant of the prostate. No signs of urinary incontinence were noted in any of the dogs postoperatively. Transurethral laser prostatectomies can be performed safely and effectively in the dog and can significantly decrease the incidence of postoperative urinary incontinence.