Predictors of urgency improvement after Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia

The prostatic middle lobe: clinical significance, presentation and management

The role of the prostatic middle lobe in the presentation and management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is under-appreciated. Middle lobe enlargement is associated with intravesical prostatic protrusion (IPP), which causes a unique type of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) via a 'ball-valve' mechanism. IPP is a reliable predictor of BOO and the strongest independent factor for failure of medical therapy necessitating conversion to surgical intervention. Men with middle lobe enlargement tend to exhibit mixed symptoms of both the storage and the voiding types, but symptomatology will vary depending on the degree of IPP present. Initial assessments such as uroflowmetry and post-void residual volumes are inadequate to detect IPP and could confound the clinical picture. Radiological evaluation of prostate morphology is key to assessment as it provides important prognostic information and can help with operative planning. Treatment strategies employed for BPH should consider the shape and morphology of prostate adenomata, specifically the presence of middle lobe enlargement and the degree of associated IPP.

Age-specific effect of transurethral holmium laser enucleation of the prostate on overactive bladder in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia: An investigation using an overactive bladder symptom score

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the age-specific effect of transurethral holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) on overactive bladder (OAB).

METHODS

A total of 186 consecutive patients who underwent HoLEP were included. They were divided into three groups: patients aged less than 65 years, between 65 and 74, and 75 or older. The OAB symptom score as well as other relevant variables of lower urinary tract symptoms and function were assessed before and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Age-specific prevalence of OAB, the proportion of resolution of OAB, and de novo OAB were evaluated.

RESULTS

The mean age of patients was 70.7 years, and the mean total prostate volume was 75.8 ml. The mean OAB symptom scores before surgery of patients aged less than 65 years, between 65 and 74, and 75 or older were 6.0, 5.2, and 5.7, respectively. At 12 months after surgery, the scores for the respective groups had significantly decreased to 2.1, 2.5, and 3.5. The prevalence of OAB based on the score in the respective groups was 45.8%, 56.9%, and 54.0% (p = .6391) preoperatively and 9.1%, 11.3%, and 15.8% at 12 months after the surgery (p = .7613). Of those with preoperative OAB, 75.0%, 79.2%, and 75.0% of the respective groups showed resolution of OAB at 12 months postoperatively (p = .9427).

CONCLUSIONS

In candidates for surgical deobstruction of benign prostatic hyperplasia, HoLEP has potential to improve OAB symptoms regardless of age.

[Urinary incontinence after endoscopic enucleation of the prostate with the Holmium laser: Evolutionary aspects and associated predictive factors]

OBJECTIVE

To study the evolutionary aspects of stress urinary incontinence and urinary incontinence by urgency after HoLEP through a series of 200 consecutive cases of the same surgeon then to seek secondarily the predictive factors of occurrence in the service of urology of the Hospital Center of Martigues.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a monocentric, retrospective, descriptive and analytical study conducted in the urology department of the Martigues Hospital. All patients who were treated with HoLEP for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) between September 2017 and March 2021 were included in the study. Patients with an age greater than 75 years, obese (BMI>30) or with neurological disease were excluded from this study.

RESULTS

Between September 2017 and March 2021, 204 patients were included in our study. The average urinary incontinence rate was 21.2% 12.2% 7.4% and 2.7% at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months respectively. The rate of stress urinary incontinence was 5.4%, 9.2%, 5.6% and 1.8% at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months post HoLEP respectively. Urge urinary incontinence was estimated at 13.3%, 3%, 1.8% and 0.9% at M1, M3, M6 and M12 post-HoLEP respectively. Preoperative erectile dysfunction, delivered energy, enucleated prostate weight and total intraoperative time were statistically associated with the occurrence of stress urinary incontinence postoperatively. The operative time and a low operative Qmax were statistically associated with the occurrence of postoperative stress urinary incontinence.

CONCLUSION

HoLEP is at risk of postoperative urinary incontinence. Preoperative information of the patients on the risk of urinary incontinence is essential.

Does Preoperative Bladder Compliance Affect Long-Term Functional Outcomes after Laser Prostatectomy?

PURPOSE

We assessed the effects of preoperative bladder compliance on the long-term functional outcomes, especially focused on postoperative storage symptom changes, after laser prostatectomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From January 2008 to March 2014, 1,608 men who underwent laser prostatectomy, including holmium laser enucleation or photo-vaporization of the prostate, were included in the analysis. We divided patients into 3 groups according to bladder compliance on a baseline urodynamic study: <12.5, 12.5-25, ≥25 mL/cmH₂O. A multivariable analysis was performed to determine the impact of bladder compliance on changes in long-term functional outcomes after laser prostatectomy.

RESULTS

Bladder compliance was less than 12.5 mL/cmH₂O in 50 (3.1%), 12.5-25 mL/cmH₂O in 232 (14.4%) patients. As bladder compliance decreased, the baseline International Prostate Symptom (IPSS) total score and storage sub-score were increased; the voiding sub-score remain unchanged. At postoperative 12 and 36 months, absolute improvements in the IPSS total score and storage sub-score were higher in <12.5 mL/cmH₂O group compared to other groups, although those were equivalent at postoperative 1 months. On the multivariable analysis, decreased bladder compliance <12.5 mL/cmH₂O was significantly associated with superior improvement in storage sub-score at postoperative 36 months, although it was not associated with voiding sub-score.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with preoperative bladder compliance <12.5 mL/cmH₂O, storage symptoms could be further improved at 36 months after laser prostatectomy compared to others. Thus, laser prostatectomy could be a considerable treatment option for patients with severely decreased bladder compliance.

Second to fourth digit ratio and lung function (forced vital capacity): predictors of maximum urinary flow rate after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate

BACKGROUND

Maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) is usually increased after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP). However, improvements vary between patients and results regarding potential predictors of Qmax after HoLEP are inconsistent. Thus, we investigated pre-operative variables including second to fourth digit ratio (digit ratio) and pulmonary function test (PFT) findings as potential predictors of Qmax after HoLEP.

METHODS

One hundred and ninety-five consecutive patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) who underwent HoLEP were enrolled. Before HoLEP, PFTs were performed and lengths of second and fourth digits of right hands were measured by a single investigator using a digital vernier caliper. To identify independent predictors of Qmax after HoLEP, univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using linear regression models.

RESULTS

Mean age and total prostate volume for all 195 study subjects were 69.4 years and 63.3 mL respectively. Mean pre-operative and post-operative Qmax values were 8.7 and 26.2 mL/sec respectively. Univariate analysis showed age (r = -0.181, p = 0.014), digit ratio (r = 0.213, p = 0.004), lung function (forced vital capacity (FVC): r = 0.218, p = 0.005; forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1): r = 0.166, p = 0.034), pre-operative Qmax (r = 0.264, p = 0.000), pre-operative voided volume (VV) (r = 0.158, p = 0.033), and post-operative VV (r = 0.311, p = 0.000) were associated with post-operative Qmax, whereas multivariate analysis showed that digit ratio (β = 0.285, p = 0.001), FVC (β = 0.340, p = 0.039), and post-operative VV (β = 0.301, p = 0.000) independently predicted post-operative Qmax.

CONCLUSIONS

The independent predictors of Qmax after HoLEP were digit ratio and lung function (FVC) as well as post-operative VV. This means that the higher a man's digit ratio and lung function (FVC), the higher his Qmax after HoLEP.

Intravesical prostatic protrusion is not always the same shape: Evaluation by preoperative cystoscopy and outcome in HoLEP

AIMS

To examine how morphological differences in intravesical prostatic protrusion (IPP) predict outcome of Holmium laser enucleation of prostate (HoLEP) treatment.

METHODS

We analyzed 173 patients who had undergone HoLEP in our hospital. The protrusion shape was evaluated by outpatient preoperative flexible cystoscopy and classified into five groups: A, no protrusion; B, middle lobe only; C, unilateral lobe only; D, bilateral lobes; and E, B + C or B + D. Paired-match analysis that adjusted for preoperative International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) voiding/storage subscores and IPP was performed between the group with middle lobe protrusion (B + E) and the group without it (C + D).

RESULTS

Type A prostate shape was found in 23 patients, type B in 14, type C in 31, type D in 71, and type E in 34. Groups with middle lobe protrusion (B and E) had better changes in the total IPSS (P < 0.05) and the IPSS storage subscore (P < 0.01). Pair matching identified 37 patients each with or without middle lobe protrusion. The group with middle lobe protrusion had significantly more improved total IPSS (-17.5 ± 7.5 vs -13.5 ± 8.3, P < 0.05) and IPSS storage subscore (-6.9 ± 3.4 vs -4.8 ± 3.3, P < 0.05) than did those without middle lobe protrusion.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with middle lobe protrusion had greater IPSS improvement after HoLEP than those having comparable-length IPP but without middle lobe protrusion. IPP is not always the same shape and should be clinically divided into at least two groups.