Stopping or maintaining oral anticoagulation in patients undergoing photoselective vaporization of the prostate (SOAP) surgery for benign prostate obstruction: study protocol for a multicentre randomized controlled trial

Global Greenlight Group: largest international Greenlight experience for benign prostatic hyperplasia to assess efficacy and safety

INTRODUCTION

Greenlight photo-selective vaporization of the prostate (GL-PVP) has gained international acceptance as a safe and effective alternative procedure for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), especially in anticoagulated men. This descriptive analysis aims to characterize the current state of GL-PVP, pooling data from international centers.

METHODS

Data from 3627 patients who underwent GL-PVP with the XPS-180 W system in seven international centers performed by eight expert surgeons between 2011 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic, perioperative, and postoperative data were collected, including IPSS, QoL, Qmax, PVR, and PSA, and complications.

RESULTS

At baseline, median age, prostate volume, PSA, and IPSS were 70 years (interquartile range 64-77), 64 (47-90), 3.1 ng/mL (1.8-6), and 22 (19-27), respectively. Median lasing and operative time were 34 (23-48) and 62 min (46-85), respectively. Median energy use was 250.0 kJ (168.4-367.9), with 92.6% of procedures being completed with one laser fiber. In 60.1% of cases, catheter was removed on postoperative day 1 with median length of 2 days. All-cause mortality within 30 days was 0.3%. Median PSA reduction at 3 months and 60 months compared to baseline was 43.9 and 46.4%, respectively (p < 0.001). All functional outcomes (IPSS, QoL, Qmax, and PVR) were significantly improved across study period when compared to baseline (p < 0.001). For those men with longer follow-up available, the observed surgical BPH retreatment rate was 1.5% CONCLUSION: Using the largest multi-user, international database of GL-PVP, Greenlight XPS laser treatment in experienced hands is a safe, effective, and durable BPH treatment option.

Epidemiology and treatment modalities for the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common conditions affecting men. BPH can lead to a number of symptoms for patients commonly referred to as lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Over the last decade, increased modifiable risk factors, such as metabolic disease and obesity, have resulted in an increased incidence of BPH. This increasing incidence has brought about a multitude of treatment modalities in the last two decades. With so many treatment modalities available, physicians are tasked with selecting the optimal therapy for their patients. Current therapies can first be divided into medical or surgical intervention. Medical therapy for BPH includes 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors and alpha-blockers, or a combination of both. Surgical interventions include a conventional transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), as well as newer modalities such as bipolar TURP, holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP), Greenlight and thulium laser, and prostatic urethral lift (PUL). Emerging therapies in this field must also be further investigated for safety and efficacy. This narrative review attempts to consolidate current and emerging treatment options for BPH and highlights the need for additional investigation on optimizing treatment selection.