Risk Factors for Transurethral Coagulation for Hemostasis During Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate

Impact of antithrombotic medication on postoperative outcome of low-power HoLEP

PURPOSE

To study the impact of antithrombotic medication on the postoperative outcome of patients undergoing low-power holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (LP-HoLEP) METHOD: Data about 432 patients operated between 2017 and 2023 in 2 centers were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were categorized based on their antithrombotic therapy into 3 groups: a control group with no antithrombotic treatment, an anticoagulated (AC) group and a group receiving platelet aggregation inhibitors (PAI). The primary objective was to compare the average duration of postoperative bladder irrigation between the three groups. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors for prolonged postoperative bladder irrigation (≥24h).

RESULTS

The group of patients on AC showed significantly longer average durations of bladder irrigation (40.79h vs 24.05h, P<0.001), bladder catheterization, and hospitalization compared to the group without antithrombotic therapy. Similarly, the rates of blood transfusion (10.1% vs 2.6%, P=0.005) and severe complications (Clavien-Dindo≥3) (30.43% vs 5.9%, P<0.001) were higher in this group. Patients on PAI had immediate postoperative outcomes comparable to those without antithrombotic therapy. At 3months postoperatively, the rate of stress urinary incontinence was higher in patients on antithrombotic therapy. In multivariate analysis, AC and prostate volume were predictive of prolonged postoperative bladder irrigation.

CONCLUSION

LP-HoLEP is an effective surgical technique for managing benign prostatic hypertrophy in patients on antithrombotic therapy. However, AC treatments, unlike PAI agents, lead to increased risk of perioperative bleeding.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3

Optimizing hemostasis in HoLEP surgery: retrospective review of selective bipolar plasmakinetic technology guided by bladder irrigation fluid color

OBJECT

To evaluate the effectiveness of selective bipolar plasmakinetic technology based on bladder irrigation fluid color on hemostasis in HoLEP surgwery METHODS: A total of 209 patients who underwent HoLEP surgery from October 2021 to July 2023 were included and divided into Hemostasis Management Group and control group. the color of the irrigation fluid was categorized into 5 levels and the bipolar plasmakinetic technology was applied when the color came to level 4 or up. The following was analyzed: postoperative use of balloon compression, blood loss, irrigation time, length of hospital stay, and the number of a second operation.

RESULTS

Only 4 patients in Hemostasis Management Group required postoperative urinary catheter balloon compression, while there are 15 in the control group(p=0.03). The average irrigation time for patients in the HM Group with bipolar plasmakinetic hemostasis was 21.88±13.76 hours, compared to that in patients with catheter balloon compression(p=0.007).

CONCLUSION

Based on the bladder irrigation color chart, the selective application of bipolar plasmakinetic hemostasis led to a significant reduction in the number of patients requiring postoperative bladder catheter balloon compression. Secondly, the irrigation time of patients who underwent bipolar plasmakinetic hemostasis also decreased.

Effect of Self-Training Using Virtual Reality Head-Mounted Display Simulator on the Acquisition of Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate Surgical Skills

PURPOSE

We aimed to evaluate the effect of self-training using a virtual reality head-mounted display simulator on the acquisition of surgical skills for holmium laser enucleation surgery.

METHODS

Thirteen medical students without surgical skills for holmium laser enucleation of the prostate were trained using multimedia to learn the technique via simulator manipulation. Thereafter, participants performed the technique on a virtual benign prostatic hyperplasia model A (test A). After a 1-week wash-out period, they underwent self-training using a simulator and performed the technique on model B (test B). Subsequently, participants were asked to respond to Training Satisfaction Questions. Video footage of hand movements and endoscope view were recorded during tests A and B for later review by 2 expert surgeons. A 20-step Assessment Checklist, 6-domain Global Rating Scale, and a Pass Rating were used to compare performance on tests A and B.

RESULTS

Thirteen participants completed both tests A and B. The 20-step Assessment Checklist and 6-domain Global Rating Scale evaluation results showed significantly improved scores in test B than in test A (P<0.05). No evaluator rated participants as passed after test A, but 11 participants (84.6%) passed after test B. Ten participants (76.9%) indicated that the simulator was helpful in acquiring surgical skills for holmium laser enucleation of the prostate.

CONCLUSION

The virtual reality head-mounted display holmium laser enucleation of the prostate simulator was effective for surgical skill training. This simulator may help to shorten the learning curve of this technique in real clinical practice in the future.

Transurethral bipolar enucleation using a TUEB loop for large benign prostatic hyperplasia: a retrospective cohort study

PURPOSE

We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of transurethral enucleation with bipolar system (TUEB) regardless of the prostate size using a specially developed TUEB loop.

METHODS

A total of 251 patients who underwent TUEB were categorized into two groups depending on the prostate volume (PV): small-PV (≤ 80 mL) group, 133 patients; large-PV (> 80 mL) group, 118 patients. Comparisons of background information and treatment outcomes were performed between the groups.

RESULTS

Operation (113.5 vs 166.4 min), enucleation (49.4 vs 68.1 min), and morcellation (11.4 vs 26.4 min) times were longer and hemoglobin decreased significantly (0.84 vs 1.30 g/dL) in the large PV group. However, the enucleation efficiency (enucleated weight per enucleation time; 0.71 vs 0.97 g/min) and prostate-specific antigen reduction rate (24.6% vs 16.1%) were significantly better in the large-PV group, with similar enucleation rates (enucleated weight per transitional zone volume; 82% vs 81%). The International Prostate Symptom Score, uroflowmetry maximum flow rate, and post-void residual urine in both groups improved at 3, 6, and 12 months compared with baseline. No patient underwent blood transfusion. There were no differences in the frequency of postoperative clot retention, urethral stricture, or stress incontinence at 3, 6, and 12 months.

CONCLUSION

TUEB using a TUEB loop resulted in high levels of satisfaction regarding the enucleation efficiency, efficacy, and safety for BPH surgery regardless of the prostate size. TUEB should be considered one of the best treatment options for large BPH that is uncontrollable with medication.

Laser-Induced Blood Coagulation for Surgical Application: A Scoping Review

There is a lack of evidence-based reviews on the effects of laser irradiation on blood coagulation in the literature, despite a large number of clinical trials. We therefore evaluated the available evidence on laser irradiation parameters used in coagulation of blood to optimize physical parameters. We performed a literature search for recent scientific studies indexed between 2017 and 2023 using the databases of PubMed and ScienceDirect. Articles were selected based on defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and 78 publications in total were eventually included in this scoping review. The following were found to produce significant benefits in blood coagulation for surgical application: (1) dentistry and oral surgeries: 980 nm, 27 s, 2 W, 1502.7 W/cm2, 26.5 J, 622 J/cm2, 400 μm; (2) urogenital disorders: 532 nm, 4 s, 40 W, 10600 W/cm2, 1.3 J, 424 J/cm2, 600 μm; (3) ophthalmic disorders: 810 nm, 1 s, 1 W, 3540 W/cm2, 0.75 J, 1326 J/cm2, 100 μm; (4) embryological surgeries: 1064 nm, 10 s, 25 W, 35400 W/cm2, 262.5 J, 371000 J/cm2, 332.5 μm; (5) dermatological disorders: 1064 nm, 20 W, 2440 W/cm2, 0.1 J, 24 J/cm2, 670 μm; (6) gastrointestinal disorders: 532 nm, 3 s, 20 W, 1051 W/cm2, 120 J, 26500 J/cm2, 760 μm; (7) neurological surgeries: 2.5 s, 1.5 W, 1035 W/cm2, 2 J, 1584 J/cm2, 385 μm; (8) pulmonary disorders: 1320 nm, 5s, 35 W, 12450 W/cm2, 250 J, 65000 J/cm2, 700 μm (9) cardiovascular disorders: 1064 nm, 16.5 s, 5 W, 1980.5 W/cm2, 900 J, 760 J/cm2, 400 μm. In conclusion, our scoping review identifies that combining data from all clinically heterogeneous studies suggests that laser irradiation reflects an effective method for inducing blood coagulation in several medical fields.