Thulium Fiber Laser Enucleation of the Prostate: Learning Curve and Functional Outcomes - A Prospective Study (ThuFLEP)

January 8, 2026 updated by: Muharrem Baturu
The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the learning curve and functional outcomes of Thulium Fiber Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (TfLEP) performed by a single surgeon. The study focuses on surgical efficiency, safety (complication rates), and the improvement of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and quality of life over a 12-month follow-up period.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Thulium Fiber Laser (TFL) is an emerging technology in the field of laser prostatectomy. While Holmium Laser Enucleation (HoLEP) is well-established, the learning curve and long-term functional stability of TFL need further prospective validation. This study will involve the first [Insert Number, e.g., 100] consecutive cases of TfLEP. The "Learning Curve" will be analyzed using Cumulative Sum (CUSUM) analysis of enucleation efficiency and operative time. Functional outcomes will be assessed via IPSS, Qmax, and IIEF-5 scores at baseline and post-operative intervals (1, 3, and 12 months).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

85

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Gazi̇antep
      • Gaziantep, Gazi̇antep, Turkey (Türkiye), 27310
        • University of Gaziantep,

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with symptomatic Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) refractory to medical treatment.
  • Prostate volume > [e.g., 40] ml.
  • Patients providing written informed consent for the prospective follow-up

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Neurogenic bladder dysfunction.
  • Active urinary tract infection at the time of surgery.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Thulium Fiber Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (ThuFlEP) Group
All patients in this study group will undergo Thulium Fiber Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (TfLEP) for the treatment of symptomatic Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). The surgical procedure involves using a 60-watt Thulium Fiber Laser (TFL) system to enucleate the prostatic adenoma in a retrograde or antegrade fashion. Following enucleation, the adenoma is removed from the bladder using a mechanical morcellator. The study will monitor the surgeon's performance from the first consecutive case to evaluate the learning curve (measured by operative efficiency) and assess functional outcomes (IPSS, Qmax, and Quality of Life) at post-operative intervals of 1, 3, and 12 months.
Device: Thulium Fiber Laser (TFL) Enucleation
Surgical enucleation of the prostate using TFL technology to achieve complete removal of the transition zone adenoma, aiming for symptomatic relief and improvement in urinary flow.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Learning Curve Competency
Time Frame: 12 month
The point at which the surgeon achieves a stable enucleation efficiency (grams of tissue/minute) and a significant reduction in operative time.
12 month

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Muharrem Baturu

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 8, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 8, 2026

First Posted (Estimated)

January 16, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

January 16, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 8, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2026/01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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