Bipolar Transurethral Resection of Prostate in Saline: Preliminary Report on Clinical Efficacy and Safety at 1 Year

Abstract

To determine the clinical efficacy and safety profile of the bipolar transurethral resection in saline (TURIS) system (Olympus Japan) in the treatment of men with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). We prospectively evaluated 45 patients with a mean age of 66 years (range 50-87 years) who had clinically significant BPH and were treated with transurethral resection of prostate using the TURIS system beginning December 2003. Acute retention of urine was the indication in 49% of the patients. Patients had outpatient follow-ups at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. A mean weight of 25.3 g of prostatic tissue was resected in a mean time of 42 minutes (range 15-75 minutes). The mean decrease in hemoglobin and sodium was 1.4 g/dL and 2.2 mmol/L, respectively. The mean follow-up period was 10 months. The mean International Prostate Symptom Score decreased from 22.6 preoperatively to 6.5 at 12 months and the mean Q(max) increased from 6.5 to 18.3 mL/sec at 12 months. Postoperative hemorrhage was seen in 6.6% of the patients, including 2 primary hemorrhages that necessitated blood transfusion (4.4%). Other complications were prolonged catheterization (11.1%), urinary-tract infection (8.9%), and bulbar urethral stricture (4.4%). This pilot study indicates that TURIS is a safe and efficacious treatment for BPH at 1 year.