The new laser needle is designed for insertion into the prostate to vaporize the tissue with minimal coagulation and little or no bleeding or adverse effects in an outpatient procedure with regional or local anesthesia.
Trimedyne believes the use of the new laser needle, if its success is established in a clinical study, may involve a new Medicare procedure code, which Trimedyne hopes will produce a higher reimbursement rate to hospitals and urologists to compensate them for the cost of the new laser needle and the training required to perform the new, interstitial (within tissue) laser procedure.