Trip to Panamá

I spent the last week travelling. I first went to Panamá, to perform live surgeries and to deliver presentations in two hospitals.

The first was Hospital Punta Pacífica, a wonderful hospital where a surgical session had been organised, the operations were retransmited to a room where many urologists attended.

I did three operations and between surgeries I did two talks, one on the Greenlight HPS laser,

and another one comparing different types of lasers for BPH.

The session was a success, but we finished quite late, as the second and third prostates were both very big. Operating big prostates takes longer. All patients did well postoperatively.

I also visited the Complejo Metropolitano de la Caja del Seguro Social, where unfortunately we could not operate due to technical problems, but where I had a chance to deliver two talks and project a video on surgical technique.


I was also interviewed for TV, I hope it becomes available on the internet soon, so I can add it here.

During this trip I was lucky enough to visit the Panamá Channel, a wonderful construction from 1914, constantly crossed by enormous cargo ships that avoid having to go all Around south America. The ships pay 300.000 USD each time they cross it, a very important source of income for the country. They are building a wider channel, to allow for building wider ships, as nowadays the cargo ships are tailored to the width of the channel, for obvious reasons.


All the urologists I met during this part of my trip were really nice and warm, and I had a great time. It was very hot and humid, but I really enjoyed getting to know the Panamá channel!!!

Visitors from Holland

This Thursday and Friday I received the visit of Dr. Frank D'ancona and Hans Langehuisen, from the University Hospital St. Radboud, from Nijmegen, Holland. They wanted to see how I perform the Greenlight HPS prostatic vaporization in patients with big sized prostates.

We had three patients scheduled, with prostates of 40, 80 and 160 grams, and they witnessed the three operations. I showed them a new technical variation I have been working on for some months, the localisation of the prostatic capsule to guarantee that the whole adenoma is completely removed.

In the photo, with Santiago (AMS), Patrick (AMS), Frank y Hans.

Two wonderful and interesting surgical sessions, and a great honour to receive the visit of two prominent european urologists.

Surgeries in Guayaquil, Ecuador

After reaching Guayaquil, I was picked up by Gustavo Pico, the pioneer of Greenlight in Guayaquil. He kindly hosted me in his house, and he invited me for lunch, "caldo de bola" and "Ceviche de camarón", really superb. We had to leave to the hospital really fast because Dr. Pico had organised a surgical session at the Hospital Kennedy Samborondón, that was being retransmitted to the other two hospitals from the Kenedy Group.

When we got to the hospital the patient was already anesthetised and the session started. I did two operations and we mantained a very interesting conversation with the attendees in the other two hospitals. I was really impressed with the organisation Dr. Pico put in the workshop.


Then we went to the Hospital Kennedy Alborada and we did some interviews with the press and local TV stations. The workshop was widely announced on TV news and we saw ourselves on TV the following day...



Then I gave a talk to a crowded room, and I finished the day really tired but happy.

The following day continued with the transmission of four operations that were very demostrtive, and I had the opportunity to discuss in depth all the technical details with Dr. Gustavo Pico.


Finally, Dr. Pico and myself celebrated with some champagne the success of the session and our new friendship, and he drove me to the airport, where I took a flight back to Madrid. It has been an intense week, full of interesting moments, new friends and a lot of surgery!

Surgeries in Quito, Ecuador.

I took a morning flight to Quito. In a couple of hours I was there, I got to the hotel and had some time to rest. Then I had a chance to chat with Dr. Cornejo and discuss his experience with the Greenlight before starting my conference at the Marriot Hotel in Quito, I was impressed with the attendance. I had a chance to meet many local urologists.

Then we went to the Hospital Metropolitano, with Dr. Alexis Costa and Dr. Cornejo, and we did two operations. They already had a lot of experience, with more than 100 operations, so I decided to show them advanced techniques, as how to localize the prostate capsule and enuclation plane. Everything was uneventful, but I had to rush to the airport again, as I had to fly to Guayaquil. That same evening we had to perform some operations.

This was a wonderful surgical session, in the company of new friends.

Surgeries in Lima, Perú

I departed to Lima early monday morning. I had planned to leave on Sunday, but the Air Comet flight was delayed. It was a very special trip, as the pilot was my brother Enrique. He invited me to see the take off from the cockpit. I learned a lot about planes and I was impressed to see how it is full of technology and how they follow strict protocols and constant verification in contact with air controllers from nearby airports. It was a great experience and I felt very proud to see my little brother piloting an aeroplane with such mastery.

He is passionate about planes since he was little and he fought hard to become a pilot. He is a champion!! I admire him deeply, he did a perfect landing!

Once in Lima, I went to the Marriot Hotel and then we drove to the Hospital El Golf, where we did two operations with Dr. Elvis Sueldo and Dr. César Quincot. Both were uneventful and they had a good chanobserved advanced techniques techniquestechnique.

After we finished the operations, we went to the headquarters of the Peruvian Urological Association, where I gave a talk on photoselective vaporization of the prostate with the Greenlight HPS laser in front of a numerous group of Peruvian Urologists, who were very interested in the technology.

Then we had a tipical dinner, a "piqueo criollo" with local refreshments. In Perú they dring Inca-Cola, a very nice soda that sells much more than Coke over here.

The following morning started early, we went back to the Hospital El Golf to do a third case and then we went to another Hospital, Santa Teresa, where we did two operations with Dr. Jorge Saldaña. He is a young urologist with an impressive spirit.

He really believes in pushing technology forward and has decided, like me, to write a blog to narrate his experiences.

Everything was uneventful without problems, although one of the prostates was very big and took a while to complete.

Then we went out for dinner to celebrate the success of the surgical sessions and I try the famous Peruvian Ceviche, with Pisco Sour, a local drink that Peruvians claim they make better than the Chilenians. They I went to sleep, as the time change is quite tough and I had to fly to Ecuador. I left Perú happy after the experience and grateful to these three wonderful urologists!!

Spanish Urological Association Annual Meeting

Today I drove to Valencia in the morning to participate in the Spanish Urological Association Annual Meeting, where I was invited to participate in a symposium on Greenlight laser treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.


I had to give a talk on surgical technique, but some days prior to the symposium we decided it would be even more interesting if I covered the differences among different lasers used in urology for the treatment of BPH.

A very interesting session, as other centers presented very solid data supporting the use of this laser in public hospitals in Spain.

Then I went to have luch by the Malvarrosa beach, a wonderful paella. After that I drove back to Madrid, there was a horrible traffic jam, so I got home rather late. Tomorrow I wake up early because I depart to Lima, for a week of surgery in different hospitals in Perú and Ecuador.

Greenlight Turkish Users Meeting

This friday I flew to Istanbul in Turkey to lecture in front of a group of users of Greenlight in Turkey. The traffic was incredibly packed and slow, but I managed to reach a dinner by the bosphorus. The following day we celebrated the meeting. There we talked about surgical technique, how to optimize clinical results, tips and tricks and precautions to take...

En la foto con algunos participantes

Prof. Ali Riza Kural moderated the session. Apart from being a prestigious urologist, he is also an immense artist. I met him in a previous congress in Istanbul, and I became his fan number 1, he sings wonderfully. I scanned the CD cover, and I have found this video in Youbute with him singing, an exotic delight.

After the session there was a very nice dinner and then we jumped in a boat to navigate through the bosphorus. My camera and my limited knowledge of photography did not allow me to obtain better pictures but it was a magic night...The full moon, the illuminated bridge, the thousand musics coming from the palaces, the mosks.... a true wonderful experience I will never forget.

Portuguese Urological Association Congress

I came to Lisbon invited by the Portuguese Urological Association to participate in their yearly congress. I had to lecture in a round table on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.
There are new developments in medical treatment (combination with anticolinergic drugs, PDE5 inhibitors, new alpha blockers...) as well as in the classic TURP (bipolar devices, plasma vaporization) and specially in the laser world (Holmium, Tulium, Greenlight and Diodes). My role was to try to clarify the current role of these lasers and their application.


I always enjoy a lot coming to Portugal, and I have a chance to see my friends. I chatted with Dr. Reis Santos, from whom I always learn a lot. Tonight I go back to Madrid, tomorrow I must fly to Istanbul.

Visitor from Kuwait

This week we received the visit of Dr. Ivan Ormanov, a bulgarian urologist that has worked for many years in Hospital Al-Rashid, from Kuwait. We shared two surgical sessions where we operated some patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia using the Greenlight HPS laser.


In this picture, we were having coffee in the cafeteria at the hospital, and we were chatting about surgical technique. Dr. Ormanov proposed me to visit him in Kuwait and maybe start an ongoing collaboration with his prestigious hospital as a visitor surgeon.

AUA Annual Meeting, Chicago

I spent last week in Chicago, at the American Urological Association Annual Meeting. I attended the scientific sessions and some interesting courses. The congress was full of news, there are so many simultaneous sessions that it is impossible to see all. It is always a good oportunity to meet old friends and also many invitations and opportunities arise. Soon I will go to Ecuador, Perú, Shanghai, Germany, etc...


From Chicago I flew to San José, to visit the American Medical System's research center, with some of my IGLU (International Greenlight Users Group) colleagues. We are going to promote new clinical studies and new interesting initiatives.

And then, lastly, I took a flight to Seattle, where my sister lives. It had been a while since I last saw her. I spent the weekend with her and this morning I arrived at Madrid, and now I am back to the normal work life!!

Visitor from Bulgaria

We operated this thursday and friday and we received the visit of Dr. Iliya Kalchev, from Sofía, Bulgaria. The first greenlight laser user in his country.

He visited to get familiarised with the technique and we could show him four operations with the greenlight laser and a stone fragmentation with the Holmium laser.



We also enjoyed dinner together in Casa Patas with flamenco dancing... very nice. It is always a pleasure to receive visitors.

Surgeries in the Fundación Jiménez Díaz

This tuesday I visited the Fundación Jiménez Díaz, invited by the new head of department, Dra. Carmen González Enguita, to assist them with their first Greenlight HPS cases.



I first operated a patient with a moderate to big prostate, and then Dr. González Enguita operated a patient with a smaller sized prostate with great ease and mastery. I must be a great teacher!! ;-)

A very pleasant morning and a great honour to step in the surgical rooms of a Hospital with such an important urological tradition.