Originally posted June 23, 2012

Again I travelled to Sofia to operate at the Hill Clinic. We had another surgical session where we operated seven patients... I am delighted to see that GreenLEP (GreenLight Enucleation of the Prostate) keeps offering excellent results.

I am very grateful to the help provided at Hill Clinic by Dr. Kochev (right), Bochevski (left) and Georgiev, who is not in the photo. They look after patients when I leave and they are two top urologists in Bulgaria!

Originally posted June 20, 2012

Yesterday we received the visit of two italian urologists Dr. Darvinio Melloni, from Palermo and Dr. Sergio Valenti, from Bérgamo. We also had the pleasure to host Dr. Elbikri, from Morocco.

I did two operations at Clínica CEMTRO to demonstrate the technique of anatomic vaporization of the prostate with the GreenLight XPS laser. The session was very fruitful as we had time to comment on all technical aspects of this operation. Dr. Melloni is an expert with the GreenLight HPS 120 watts and he was impressed with the performance of the new 180 watt laser. I think he also enjoyed the tips and tricks I shared.

Originally posted June 15, 2012

This weekend I went to Casablanca to operate in three hospitals. First I went on friday afternoon to the  Clinique Lina, with Dr. Benani, Dr. Tahiri, Dr. Haisam and Dr. Boueb, I did two anatomic vaporizations with greenlight that went very well.

Then I went to Clinique Massira, with Dr. Touabi and Dr. Bakali, who was trained in Fundació Puigvert in Barcelona. He told me that our common friend Dr. Ricardo Regalado had died some time ago and it was a hard blow for me. I had been time without news from him, but I did not know the cause. He was a good friend and a great person, I was extremely sad to learn this. I also did two surgeries that went out very well.

Finally, I did another case at Clinique Dar Salam, with Dr. Chefchaouni, that was also successful.

On Saturday afternoon I took the opportunity to make a tour around Casablanca, which to me is a city full of contrasts. I was very impressed by Hassan II's Mosk, an amazing building by the sea. Then I returned to Madrid to rest a little on sunday afternoon.

Originally posted June 14, 2012

Today I went to Torino in Italy to visit the Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Molinette S. Giovanni Batista, where I had to demonstrate the GreenLight XPS laser to Dr. Fontana and Dr. Ceruti, who prepared four surgical interventions of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

The session was very good although we had some challenging cases, as an anticoagulated patient and a patient with a huge prostate. I also did a talk for the urology department. A tough working day, I had great fun.

This department has a lot of experience in Andrology and I enjoyed watching a presentation they showed me on a new technique for penile lengthening with penile implant insertion...

Originally posted June 13, 2012

Today I travelled early to Modena in Italy to participate in a training session at Hospital Hesperia, with Prof. Giovanni Ferrari.

We have done four surgical operations with the GreenLight laser, the last one a challenging case, a huge prostate. Operating out of your own surgical theatre is always a challenge, things change quite a lot, the endoscopic camera is different, some times the quality is good, some other times not so good.

Laser cystoscopes also vary, as does the chair where I sit. There is always some variability to these surgical operations outside home, and it makes me to keep alert. It has always been a wonderful training and it has allowed me to get to know all possible combinations of instruments, camera, etc...

Prof. Ferrari is a great surgeon and a charming colleague. I tried parmesan cheese with home made Modena vinegar, so delicious!!!

Originally posted June 12, 2012

Today I had some free time to add my voice to this video in real time demonstrating an anatomic PVP (Photoselective vaporization of the prostate).

Originally posted June 5, 2012

Today I received the program for the congress on Endourology Prof. Scoffone is organizing in Torino in November. My role will be to perform a live surgery that will be transmitted to the audience, and to sit in a round table. It promises to be a wonderful congress worth attending!!

Originally posted June 5, 2012

Today I spent the morning at the Hospital de La Princesa, in Madrid. In this hospital I trained as a resident many years ago. It has been fantastic to see my old colleagues and to operate in the same operating room.

I have demonstrated the use of the GreenLight 180 watt laser, operating three patients during the morning. Everything worked out perfectly. Dr. Mora organized the session and tried the laser with very good hand.

There I have seen my dearest Drs. Atanasio Fernández Borrell, Fernando Teba del Pino, Ramón Arellano, Mariano Rabadán, Lorenzo herrero, Pedro Albacete, Estefanía Romero. I saw Elena, the secretary of the department, and I also met the new residents.  A fantastic morning that brought back many memories, I spent some fantastic years there, and I learnt so much from all of them!!!

Originally posted May 31, 2012

Today I spent the day with Dr. Pierini, at the Ospedale di Aosta, in Italy.

I enjoyed a lot with a very interesting surgical session in which I performed two operations that underwent really well. I could demonstrate my italian colleagues the versatility of the GreenLight laser for the treatment of BPH. I demonstrated the anatomic vaporization of the prostate as well as the vaporization combined with enucleation of the median lobe. It was a delightful morning.

This italian region has wonderful mountains. I am a little sad to come and go so fast with little time to spend here enjoying this beautiful country.

Originally posted May 30, 2012

Today we received the visit of two urologists from Rome, Italy at Clínica CEMTRO. They came to see two operations, a GreenLEP procedure and an anatomic vaporization that both went very well!.

Originally posted May 30, 2012

Today I received the flyer announcing the congress of the GRILUR (Iberoamerican group for laser in urology) organized by Dr. Yépez Mora, from Hospital Carlos Andrade Marín in Quito, Ecuador.

Dr. Yépez has made a great effort to put together this congress and I see it is a program with a lot of live surgery, and surely a fantastic one. I encourage all urologists with interest in the use of laser in urology to attend.

Originally posted May 27, 2012

As every month I travelled to Bulgaria to operate at the Hill Clinic in Sofia. This time we had an italian visitor, Dr. Simone Crivellaro, who is very interested in learning the GreenLEP technique. Dr. Crivellaro is one of the italian urologists with more experience in the use of GreenLight laser for the treatment of BPH.

We did four enucleations that went really well, and we could use the chance to discuss all the technical details. It is impressive to operate patients with big prostates in less than 90 minutes, and send them home the following day... we had a great time together.
On monday I could return to Madrid sooner than I thought and I could rest a little before starting the week.

By the way, I was given this publication on a Bulgarian newspaper of an interview where I talked about the differences between GreenLight and other lasers...

Originally posted May 25, 2012

This thursday I flew to Torino, and after drove to Alba, a little beautiful small Italian city, to visit the Ospedale di Alba. There I met Dr. Fasolis, who had been visiting me in Madrid before, and Dr. Conti.

We did three surgeries that went really well. They were impressed by the versatility of GreenLight for treating BPH. I explained to them that this is not an occasional operation, it is important to specialize in it and to learn properly, understand very well the basic science and the laser-tissue interactions and to have a high volume of surgical procedures per month to be able to offer excellent results to patients.

Then I flew back to Madrid, I catched an earlier flight and it was a pleasure to have dinner at home!

Originally posted May 18, 2012

This morning I flew early in the morning to Alicante to visit the Hospital Internacional Medimar and to demonstrate the GreenLight XPS laser to Dr. Bartolomé Lloret and Dr. Albors.

We did two operations. I was impressed by the hospital and its project and I enjoyed the company of Dr. Lloret. Then I rushed to the airport, I had a surgical session also in Madrid in the afternoon.

Originally posted May 17, 2012

This was a busy week and I flew to Oporto to visit the Hospital in Gaia, to show Prof. Luis Ferraz and Dr. Manuel Pereira the GreenLight laser in action. We did three cases and all went very well. They are planning to implement an ambulatory GreenLight laser center which is a very clever idea in times of economic crisis.

Then I returned to Madrid after a very successful session.

Originally posted May 15, 2012

This time I travelled to the north of Italy, in a region of Italy where the main language is German, I did not know this.

I went to the Krankenhous Hospital, with Dr. Gozzi and his team to show the different techniques for treatment of BPH with the new GreenLight XPS 180 watt laser. Dr. Gozzi is well known in the urological world for the development of a prosthesis for the treatment of urinary incontinence in the male (Advance System) that has proven to be extremely useful.

We did four surgeries during the morning that went really well. Then I returned to Madrid after having made a new friend. I loved this region of Italy, I had to drive all the way to Bergamo to take the return plane, and I really enjoyed the spectacular panorama.

Originally posted May 11, 2012

This time I flew to Italy, Téramo, near the Apenines. There I had programmed a surgical session with four patients. I accompanied Prof. Vicentini, head of the department of urology as well as the two former heads of this same department, Prof. Miano and Prof. Laurentini (in the photo with me). We also had with us Dr. Naccarato.

I operated the whole day, and I also gave a talk on GreenLight technology to the members of the urology department. I showed them the GreenLEP technique, anatomic vaporization as well as vaporization with enucleation of the median lobe. All cases went very well.

At the end of the session we had this photo taken with the rest of the urology department members. It was an intense and fun session, a beautiful day. Then I returned driving to Bergamo, and slept there before coming to Madrid in the morning the following day.

Originally posted May 8, 2012

Today we received the visit at Clínica CEMTRO of three french urologists, Dr. Weidman, Faure and Schneider. They all have experience in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperpplasia with the new GreenLight XPS 180 watt laser, but they wanted to refine some surgical technique aspects and to witness the work we carry out in Madrid.

We had a very interesting session with four surgical operations, that went very well. I showed them the enucleation as well as the anatomic vaporization techniques. We had a great time and we could share experiences. A very fruitful session!

Originally posted May 4, 2012

I took the opportunity of a Bank Holiday in May to visit my friends. Dr. Daniel Porto and Dr. Javier Zeballos in Montevideo, Uruguay. There we had prepared two days of surgeries. When I arrived at Montevideo, the local press already knew about my trip.

We operated in the British Hospital several patients with BPH (Benign Prostate Hyperplasia) and the objective of the two sessions is to help Dr. Zeballos to familiarize himself with the GreenLEP technique (GreenLight Enucleation of the prostate).

Everything went fine. I had a great time once again with my friends in Uruguay and we all learned a lot. In July we agreed to meet again for the GRILUR (Iberoamerican urological laser group) meeting that will take place in Ecuador in July.

Originally posted May 1, 2012

Yesterday I received a message that made me happy. I have been invited by the United Arab Emirates Urological Society to give the closing talk of their annual congress. Although I have travelled extensively, I never went to Dubai, and I really look forward to it.

My brother Enrique, who works as a pilot for Etihad, one of the airlines from the UAE, lives in Abu Dhabi, close to Dubai. I hope to see him there soon.

I will work hard to prepare a good presentation.

Originally posted April 27, 2012

I spent thursday and friday in Rabat, Morocco, where I had to train Prof. Karim Tazi on the use of the GreenLight laser for the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

We worked at the Clinique Souissi. It was a special pleasure to meet Prof. Tazi.

Originally posted April 24, 2012

This time I visited the Ospedale di Reggio Emilia where I worked with Dr. Francho Bergamaschi and with the new GreenLight XPS 180 watt laser.

It is a very modern and well equipped hospital, and Dr. Bergamaschi is very interested in laser treatment of BPH.

After the surgical session we had a meeting where I explained to the members of the urology department all the basic science behind this laser. Then I returned to Madrid, that same day, late at night.

This was published in the local press after my visit.