Evaluation of the Learning Curve for Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate Using Multiple Outcome Measures

Early Experiences of Contact Laser Vaporization of the Prostate using the 980 nm High Power Diode Laser for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

“…Currently, holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) and 532 nm green light laser photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) are the two reference techniques for laser prostatectomy. HoLEP offers good clinical outcomes with less blood loss but this procedure has been associated with a long learning curve and de novo postoperative urinary incontinence . PVP has also been shown to have comparable efficacy with TUR‐P but some studies have suggested that prostate volume may be a limiting factor for this technique …”

“…HoLEP offers good clinical outcomes with less blood loss but this procedure has been associated with a long learning curve and de novo postoperative urinary incontinence. 2,3 PVP has also been shown to have comparable efficacy with TUR-P 4 but some studies have suggested that prostate volume may be a limiting factor for this technique. 5 Recently, vaporization of the prostate using the high power 980 nm diode laser has become available for prostatic surgery.…”

WATER II (80–150 mL) procedural outcomes

“…The mean (range) prostate volume was 107 (80-150) mL. The mean (range) operating time was 37 (15-97) min and aquablation resection time was 8 (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15) min. Adequate adenoma resection was achieved with a single pass in 34 patients and with additional passes in 67 patients (mean 1.8 treatment passes), all in a single operating session.…”

Is there evidence for a surgeon learning curve for endothelial keratoplasty in Australia?

“…The learning curve for new surgical procedures, the number of cases that need to be performed by a surgeon before he or she achieves predictable and stable results, 8 is well documented in a wide variety of fields. [16][17][18][19][20] The newer endothelial keratoplasty techniques such as DSEK and DSAEK are regarded as having a particularly steep learning curve, an issue often cited in studies assessing outcomes after surgery. 5,7 However, the documented evidence for this learning curve is inconclusive, with mixed results reported.…”