Transurethral needle ablation of the prostate: a urodynamic based study with 2-year followup.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the efficacy of transurethral needle ablation of the prostate for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This study was urodynamic based with 2-year followup to determine whether transurethral needle ablation of the prostate could reduce bladder outlet obstruction and, if so, whether the effect was durable.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 47 patients with symptomatic BPH underwent transurethral needle ablation of the prostate under local anesthesia and intravenous sedation. All patients were evaluated subjectively using the American Urological Association symptom index and the quality of life score. Patients were evaluated objectively with uroflowmetry, post-void residual volume and pressure-flow studies. All patients underwent subjective and objective evaluation before treatment. Followup was conducted at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after treatment. Short and long-term complications were assessed.

RESULTS: At 6-month followup there was 71% improvement in mean cases (22.4 to 6.6, 42 patients symptom index, p < 0.05), and 66% improvement in mean quality of life score (4.6 to 1.56, 42 patients, p < 0.05). Maximum flow rate, post-void residual volume and detrusor pressure at maximum flow rate also showed statistically significant improvements throughout the study. At 12-month followup there was a 55% increase in maximum flow rate (6.6 to 10.23 ml. per second, 29 patients, p < 0.05). A 37% reduction in mean detrusor pressure at maximum flow rate (92.4 cm. to 58 cm. water, 31 patients, p < 0.05) was recorded at 24-month followup, thus indicating that transurethral needle ablation of the prostate can lower bladder pressure-significantly. Post-void residual volume decreased from a pretreatment mean of 76.1 ml. to a mean of 36.9 ml. (31 patients, p < 0.05) at 24 months. Short-term complications (3 months) included transient posttreatment urinary retention in 8 patients (17%), duration 1 to 9 days, mild to moderate transient frequency dysuria all patients which resolved in more than 90% by 5 weeks and epididymitis in 1. A patient questionnaire was used to evaluate changes in sexual function and there were no reports of disturbances in erectile function or retrograde ejaculation. There were no long-term complications. However, 6 patients (12.7%) had persistent bothersome symptoms during the followup period and underwent transurethral prostate resection. Further analysis of this subset of patients with respect to pretreatment evaluation and transurethral needle ablation procedure did not reveal significant differences between them and patients with successful outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: Transurethral prostate resection is a safe and effective technique for treating lower urinary tract symptoms related to benign prostatic hyperplasia. The technique can be performed in the office as an outpatient, or as a same day surgical procedure, using topical anesthesia with intravenous sedation, if necessary. In the majority of patients subjective and objective improvements were sustained for the duration of this study, which included 2-year followup with pressure-flow studies.