[Morbi-mortality of transurethral resection of the prostate in patients aged 75 and over]

Perioperative Hypothermia after Transurethral Surgeries: Is it Necessary to Heat the Irrigation Fluids?

Objective

To investigate the role of heated irrigation fluids in the risk of hypothermia and related complications in patients undergoing transurethral procedures.

Methods

The medical records of all patients who underwent transurethral procedures between 2000 and 2016 at the VA Hospital were reviewed. Irrigation fluids have been heated to 42°C since 2013, as per the institutional policy (Group II). Prior to this date, room temperature solutions were used (Group I). The perioperative body temperature, use of warming devices, procedure length, and anaesthesia type were extracted from records and compared for both groups. In addition, demographic and anthropometric data, preoperative comorbidities, laboratory data, admission information and postoperative complications were obtained from the quality improvement database.

Results

There were 1,363 patients in Group I and 269 patients in Group II. Perioperative temperature was decreased by 0.10°C in Group I compared to a temperature gain of 0.32°C in Group II (p<0.001). Three hundred and forty-eight (21%) patients undergoing transurethral procedures developed hypothermia <36°C. There was no difference in the incidence of postoperative mortality or complications between the normothermic and hypothermic patients.

Conclusion

The replacement of room temperature solutions with warmed solutions for irrigation during transurethral procedures reduced the risk of temperature loss and hypothermia following these procedures. Available heating strategies effectively prevented the perioperative heat loss; however, such strategies did not affect the incidence of postoperative complications.

Pure Bipolar Plasma Vaporization of the Prostate: Results from a Prospective 3D Ultrasound Volumetry Study with Clinical Outcome After 3 Years

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Bipolar plasma vaporization (BPV) has been shown to be a low-morbidity alternative to conventional transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Improved functional short-term outcome and a postoperative prostate volume reduction comparable to TURP have been reported. However, comprehensive mid- or long-term results following BPV are still lacking.

METHODS

A consecutive series of men who underwent pure BPV in a tertiary care academic center was prospectively investigated. Clinical parameters [International Prostate Symptom Score with Quality-of-Life domain, peak urinary flow rate (Qmax), postvoid residual volume, and prostate-specific antigen] as well as prostate volume (assessed by planimetric volumetry following transrectal 3D-ultrasound) were recorded preoperatively and regularly after BPV (after catheter removal, 6 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years). Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. All p-values ≤0.05 were considered significant.

RESULTS

Seventy-five men were included in this prospective investigation. Their median (interquartile range) prostate volume was 41.0 mL (30.6-57.4 mL). In the first year after BPV, the prostate volume continuously decreased over time and the relative volume reduction was 52.2% after 12 months. Subsequently, the volume reduction remained stable with 50.7% after 3 years. All investigated outcome parameters improved significantly after the procedure and remained so after 3 years. Reoperations due to persistent or regrown adenoma were not necessary. Six (8.0%) and five patients (6.6%) developed a de novo urethral stricture or bladder neck contracture, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Three years after pure BPV of the prostate, a durable prostate volume reduction in combination with a stable improvement of functional outcome parameters was detectable in our prospective study. The low morbidity of the procedure and the possibility to perform BPV under ongoing platelet aggregation inhibition confirms its role as minimally invasive alternative to conventional TURP.