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History and Development of Lasers in the Treatment of BPH

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The History of Technologic Advancements in Urology

Abstract

Lasers have become a fundamental tool in the modern clinical practice of multiple surgical specialties, with urology having one of the higher utilization rates. The term “laser” is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, thus lasers are devices that generate an intense beam of coherent monochromatic light (or other electromagnetic radiation) by stimulated emission of photons from excited atoms or molecules. Since lasers are capable of precisely focusing intense energy it is not surprising that they have been effectively utilized in clinical scenarios such as: wart removal, stone fracturing, and treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This chapter focuses on the history of laser development and the various different lasers used in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mayo Clinic, Department of Urology, Rochester, MN, 55902, USA

    Johann P. Ingimarsson M.D. & Amy E. Krambeck M.D.

Authors
  1. Johann P. Ingimarsson M.D.
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  2. Amy E. Krambeck M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Johann P. Ingimarsson M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

    Sutchin R. Patel

  2. William P. Didusch Center for Urologic History, Linthicum, Maryland, USA

    Michael E. Moran

  3. Department of Urology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

    Stephen Y. Nakada

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Ingimarsson, J.P., Krambeck, A.E. (2018). History and Development of Lasers in the Treatment of BPH. In: Patel, S., Moran, M., Nakada, S. (eds) The History of Technologic Advancements in Urology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61691-9_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61691-9_10

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