European GreenLight Trainer Meeting in Brest, France

This time I went to the University hospital in Brest, France, to participate in a meeting of urologists who are trainers of other urologists in the GreenLight Laser use for the surgical treatment of BPH in Europe.

The objective of the meeting was to unify criteria as well as to share ideas and knowledge. The meeting was hosted by Prof. Fournier, who told us about his experience and who showed us the technique for continous intraoperative monitorization of laser vaporization with transrectal ultrasound.

Dr. Fournier came to visit me in Madrid in September 2009, and already then we commented the importance of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) as a quality control of the procedure. I normally use TRUS before the procedure and at the end of it, or intraoperatively if I find it necessary, but only punctually.

Prof. Fournier has developed in these years a very ingenuous way to use a standard TRUS device to monitor the operation continuously in a very simple way. I loved the idea and I think it would be most useful for surgeons learning the procedure.

This way the surgeon has two views, the endoscopic view and the ultrasound monitoring in the same screen, very interesting.

I contributed presenting the different technical variations I use with the GreenLight laser, the anatomic vaporization with capsular localization, the vapo-enucleation and the GreenLEP (GreenLight enucleation procedure). I believe both approaches are compatible.

A very interesting meeting in the company of my colleagues, also passionate for prostatic laser surgery.

At Spanish National TV

Today I went to the Spanish National Television - RTVE, to participate in the program "La Mañana de la 1", with the famous Mariló Montero.

As always, it is a lot of fun to participate, and I had a great time. We spoke a little bit about pelvic floor problems and we demonstrated the new 3D laparoscopic system from Storz, that allows us to operate with 3D vision inside the abdomen, using a dummy patient.

Here below, the full video.

Saber vivir - Vejiga y próstata

• Saber vivir - Vejiga y próstata

Sesión quirúrgica en Sofia, Bulgaria

Again we had a two-day surgical session at the Hill Clinic in Sofia, Bulgaria.

In this session we operated 10 patients in two days with the GreenLEP technique (GreenLight Enucleation of the Prostate). The technique has been improving and now we can start the procedure with an apical dissection, liberating the external sphincter from the apex of the adenoma, which protects it much better, and the surgical time is greatly reduced.

In this occasion, we had the visit of Dr. Andrés Sempere. He trained as I did at the Hospital de La Princesa in Madrid, he just left as a certified urologist when I became a first year resident. Dr. Sempere is going to start working in Dubai soon, and he wanted to learn this enucleation technique. We had a great time!

Two-day surgical session in Bari, Italy

In this ocassion I went to Bari, Italy, to help Prof. Arcangelo Pagliarulo and Dr. Gaetano de Rienzo, from the huge Policlinico Hospital, to learn the new techniques for anatomic vaporization and GreenLight Enucleation of the prostate.

The Policlínico is like a city, full of healthcare buildings, very impressive. We did nine surgeries in two days, and we had time enough to discuss every technical aspect of these operations.

Then I had to go to Bulgaria, but as the flight connection was difficult, I flew to Rome, from there to Athens in Greece, slept at the airport hotel and then departed to Sofia in the morning. A little tough schedule!

Surgeries at Hesperia Hospital in Modena, Italy

I am happy because I have established an agreement for collaboration with Dr. Giovanni Ferrari, by which I will operate with him in Modena, Italy, every month.

Yesterday we did three GreenLight vapo-enucleations in illustrious patients with big prostates that underwent really well. I am happy to collaborate with Dr. Ferrari, he is a top urologist and a very charming man.

I bought at the airport on my way back some italian cheese and Módena vinegar, of course... and I have to return via Lisbon, a tough schedule, but I was happy.

Live surgery in Torino, Italy

I arrived in Torino to participate at the congress Technology & Training in Endourology, organised at the Ospedale Cottolengo by Prof. Cesare Scoffone.

My contribution was to perform an anatomic vaporization of the prostate with the GreenLight laser that would be transmitted live to the congress main room filled up with italian endourologists. The patient I had to operate had a catheter, and I could do a good job while I demonstrated the technical aspects of the operation as didactically as possible.

In the room, Dr. Naspro and Dr. Fasolis asked me questions and relayed the questions that other colleagues in the audience wanted to ask.

Then I did a talk to demonstrate other techniques with GreenLight laser, the vapo-enucleation and the En Bloc GreenLEP (GreenLight Enucleation of the Prostate).

That night we went to the readers circle in Torino, situated in a beautiful palace in the center of the city, and we enjoyed the congress' gala dinner, that was amazing. Prof. Scoffone addressed us during the dinner. He is a genuine man, a great urologist that works with illusion to contribute positively to improve the quality of endourology in his country. The truth is that this generous attitude always moves me and makes me proud of belonging to this wonderful specialty. It has been a great congress.

Then I came back to Madrid to rest for the remainder of the weekend.

Surgical session in Milano, Italy

This time I travelled to Milano in Italy to introduct Dr. Epifanio Scardino to the technique of anatomic vaporization of the prostate for the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia with the GreenLight laser at the Casa di Cura San Camillo.

The session went very well and Dr. Scardino seemed to me to be a charming man, we had a great time together.

Then I departed to Torino, where I had to participate at the congress Technology and Training in Endourology, where I had to contribute by doing a live surgical demonstration and a talk on GreenLight laser new surgical techniques.

Visitor from Kuwait

Today we had a surgical session at Clinica CEMTRO in which we operated four patients suffering from BPH with GreenLight laser, and Dr. Ehabsayeddr Elmallah, from Taiba Hospital, Kuwait came to visit us in the operating room.

We had a chance to comment basic science and all the technical aspects of this kind of operation and I showed him all the tips and tricks and approaches we use in these cases. Soon I will go with him to Kuwait to help him with launch his laser unit.

Conference in Dubai - EUSC 2012

This time I travelled to Dubai, at the United Arab Emirates, to give a conference at the first annual congress of the Emirati Urological Society. I spoke about surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia with the GreenLight laser. The title of my presentation was "Exploring the boundaries of GreenLight for the treatment of BPH" and I tried to explain that not only GreenLight has a brilliant present (the european and american urological associations recognize it as a standard option of treatment for BPH), and that there are now two published meta-analysis that back this up (level of evidence 1), but also that the new techniques I have developed, the anatomic PVP, the vapo-enucleation of the middle lobe, and the GreenLEP procedure (GreenLight Enucleation of the prostate), the future looks even better.

I worked hard in this talk, and it was very welcomed by the public. The following day I had to moderate a session on minimally invasive treatment of urinary stones, very interesting. Dubai is an impressive city, with big buildings and constant activity... luckily it was not too hot as now it is winter over there. I had a great time and then I returned home. It is a long journey.