Advanced Treatment Close to Home

When you've been injured or have an illness, the last thing you want to do is leave the Cape for treatment. Fortunately, the physicians at Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital are dedicated to providing state-of-the-art treatment using the latest technological advances.

High-tech treatments and procedures that were considered experimental just a few years ago are now part of the standard of care for patients on the Cape. Because we're acquiring more advanced technology every year-some of which isn't even available in Boston-there's never a reason to leave the support of your family and friends for your medical care.

Laser Treatment for Enlarged Prostate

Men on the Cape suffering from a benign enlarged prostate now have an option for almost immediate relief- a procedure called GreenLight PVP.

When the prostate becomes enlarged-as it does in about 70 percent of men by the age of 70-it can compress the urethra and slow or weaken the flow of urine. With the outpatient GreenLight PVP procedure, doctors vaporize and remove the enlarged tissue while protecting the surrounding healthy tissue. During the procedure, the doctor inserts a thin fiber into the urethra through a cystoscope, a tiny tube that allows him or her to view the bladder and prostate without performing surgery. With laser energy delivered through the fiber, excess tissue is removed and an open channel is created around the urethra. "The Greenlight PVP procedure is a completely bloodless and convenient outpatient option," says Keith Bleiler, MD, urologist on staff at Falmouth Hospital. "Most patients use a catheter on the first night following the procedure and then can go back to normal activities as soon as the catheter is removed." For more information about laser treatment for benign enlarged prostate, visit www.capecodhealth.org.

On the Road Again

For five years, retired construction worker Henry Brunette lived with frequent, painful urination due to a benign, enlarged prostate. Henry was prepared to have what he calls the "roto- rooter surgery" to remove the enlargement, but a friend who works at Falmouth Hospital told him about urologist Keith Bleiler, MD, and the Greenlight PVP procedure.

"I had the procedure done in January, 2005, and the relief was almost immediate," Henry says. "The results were phenomenal, and I can't say enough about Dr. Bleiler and the surgery."

Now, life is completely different for Henry. He takes road trips and sleeps through the night-things that weren't possible before the procedure.