[Minimally invasive treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia : The German S2e guideline 2023-part 4]. / Minimalinvasive Therapien des benignen Prostatasyndroms : Die deutsche S2e-Leitlinie 2023 ­ Teil 4/4.

BACKGROUND: Lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive for benign prostatic obstruction (LUTS/BPO) are one of the most frequent diseases in men and can have a significant impact on quality of life. Instrumental therapies are common, and many patients seek minimally invasive treatment options. OBJECTIVE: Presentation and evidence-based evaluation of the minimally invasive therapy for benign prostatic syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Summary and overview of chapters 11-13 on minimally invasive therapies for LUTS/BPO of the current long version of the German S2e guideline. RESULTS: In case of absolute indication for surgery or after unsatisfactory or undesired medical therapy, minimally invasive treatments such as UroLift® (Neotract Inc., Pleasanton, CA, USA), Rezá¿¡m™ (Boston Scientific, Malborough, MA, USA), iTIND™ (Olympus America Inc., Westborough, MA, USA), and prostatic artery embolization (PAE) can be considered. These indirect/delayed ablative therapies offer lower morbidity and the possibility of performing them under local anesthesia, but they are inferior to direct ablative/resective techniques in terms of effectiveness and sustainability. CONCLUSIONS: The updated German S2e guideline summarizes evidence-based recommendations for new minimally invasive therapies for LUTS/BPO, which present alternative treatment options for selected patients.

Ejaculatory function following transperineal laser ablation vs TURP for benign prostatic obstruction: a randomized trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the reliability of transperineal interstitial laser ablation of the prostate (TPLA) in preserving antegrade ejaculation compared to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this single-centre, prospective, randomized, open-label study, consecutive patients with indication for surgical treatment for benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) were enrolled between January 2020 and September 2021 (NCT04781049). Patients were randomized to one of two treatment arms: Group A: TPLA (experimental group) and Group B: TURP (reference standard group). The primary endpoint was change in ejaculatory function (assessed by the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire - Ejaculatory function domain [EJ-MSHQ]) at 1 month after surgery. Secondary endpoints included comparison of visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, changes in sexual function (assessed using the five-item International Index of Erectile Function [IIEF-5]), change in International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS], change in quality of life score, and maximum urinary flow rate [Qmax ] improvement at 1-6 months, as appropriate. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients (26 TPLA vs 25 TURP) were analysed. No differences in the perception of pain assessed by VAS and no differences in IIEF-5 score were found between the groups. The distribution of ejaculatory function assessed by the EJ-MSHQ remained unmodified after TPLA (P = 0.2), while a median 30% decrease in EJ-MSHQ score was observed after TURP (P = 0.01). Absence of antegrade ejaculation was reported in one patient in the TPLA group (vs 18 patients in the TURP group). A statistically significant difference between the treatment groups was found in terms of postoperative Qmax (TPLA vs TURP: 15.2 [interquartile range 13.5-18.3] mL/s vs 26.0 [interquartile range 22.0-48.0] mL/s; P < 0.001). Both treatments significantly improved Qmax , with a mean 23.9 mL/s improvement after TURP (95% confidence interval [CI] 17.1-30.7) vs 6.0 mL/s after TPLA (95% CI 5.0-7.0), and IPSS, with a mean decrease of 11.6 (95% CI 9.7-13.5) vs 5.8 after TPLA (95% CI.2-9.6) with respect to baseline. CONCLUSION: In our study, TPLA preserved ejaculatory function in 96% of cases in addition to providing significant relief from BPO.

Does the 5-item Frailty Index predict surgical complications of endoscopic surgical management for benign prostatic obstruction? An analysis of the ACS-NSQIP.

PURPOSE: To assess whether the 5-item Frailty Index (5i-FI) predicts surgical complications of endoscopic surgery for benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) and examine the rates of these complications across BPO surgical modalities adjusting for patient frailty. METHODS: The ACS-NSQIP registry was queried for patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP), and laser enucleation of the prostate (LEP) between 2009 and 2019. Patients' frailties were estimated using the 5i-FI. We assessed the association between 5i-FI and the following endpoints: all complications, major complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥ 3), length of stay (LOS) ≥ 2 days, and 30-day postoperative readmission. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to account for selection bias in treatment allocation. IPTW-adjusted rates for 30-day complications were compared between surgical modalities. RESULTS: The cohort included 38,399 (62.6%) TURP, 19,121 (31.2%) PVP, and 3797 (6.2%) LEP. Men with 5i-FI score ≥ 2 were more likely to receive TURP (22.7%) and PVP (22.5%) than LEP (18.8%). 5i-FI ≥ 2 was associated with higher odds of all complications (OR 1.50), major complications (OR 1.63), LOS ≥ 2 (OR 1.31), and readmission (OR 1.65). After IPTW, LEP had the lowest rates for all complications (6.29%; 95%CI 5.48-7.20), major complications (2.30%; 95%CI 1.83-2.89), and readmission (3.80%; 95%CI 3.18-4.53). CONCLUSION: The 5i-FI score is an independent predictor of 30-day postoperative surgical complications after endoscopic BPO surgery. After IPTW, LEP and PVP were associated with lower rates of complications than TURP. However, frail patients were less likely to undergo PVP and LEP. Preoperative frailty assessment could improve risk stratification before BPO surgery.

All you need to know about "Aquablation" procedure for treatment of benign prostatic obstruction.

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, technological advances and new approaches have been developed for the treatment of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) in order to reduce complications like bleeding, retrograde ejaculation and risk of infection while obtaining an adequate disobstruction. The most recent surgical approach introduced is the Aquablation system (PROCEPT BioRobotics, Redwood Shores, CA, USA). This intervention is a robotically guided system that uses high-velocity water jets in order to ablate prostatic tissue, with real-time ultrasound guidance. The aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence on Aquablation and its results, compared to the reported outcomes of the gold standard treatment, the transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A systematic review of the Literature was performed in June 2019 using Medline (via PubMed), Embase (via Ovid), and Cochrane databases. The studies that compared the Aquablation to the standard TURP were included. Moreover, a critical review of the single arm studies was conducted. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: The results of this systematic review, based on a single RCT that compared Aquablation vs. TURP in prostates 30-80 cc in size, confirmed that Aquablation has at least a similar efficacy as TURP, but has a better safety profile, allows shorter resection times, and has a lower risk of retrograde ejaculation. Moreover, in some subcategories of patients (e.g., when prostate volume is >50 cc) functional outcomes of Aquablation are better than those of TURP. Evidence from non-comparative clinical studies and from real life scenarios have confirmed that Aquablation may be used effectively for prostate volumes up to 150 cc. CONCLUSIONS: The Aquablation procedure for the treatment of BPO allows high clinical efficacy with an excellent safety profile. For prostate volume 30-80 cc, comparative studies demonstrated that this procedure offers clinical results at least comparable to those of conventional TURP. Latest evidence showed that Aquablation may be used effectively for prostate volumes up to 150 cc. The major strengths are its high-speed resection time, low complication rate, and potential for sexual function preservation.

The morbidity associated with a TURP procedure in routine clinical practice, as graded by the modified Clavien-Dindo system.

Background: Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is considered the reference surgical method of treating benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) causing obstruction. The procedure still carries a significant risk of perioperative morbidity according to previous reports. The aim of the present study was to disclose complications after TURP undertaken in routine clinical practice at a non-academic center.Methods: All patients with BPE submitted to TURP from January 2010 to December 2012 were evaluated for complications occurring during hospital stay, after discharge up to the end of the third post-operative month and finally for any late endourological re-interventions undertaken up to five years after TURP. All complications were graded according to the Clavien-Dindo system.Results: In total, 354 men underwent a TURP during the study period. In total, 47% had pre-operative urinary retention. Significant co-morbidity was seen in 17% of men (ASA III-IV). Spinal anaesthesia was applied to 312 men (88%). During hospital stay, major complications, graded as Clavien-Dindo ≥ III, was seen in only eight men (2.3%). Minor complications occurred in 91 men (26%). Between hospital discharge and follow-up visit major complications were noted in 12 men (3.4%). Minor complications occurred in 79 men (22%). The only factor that was associated with an increased risk of a major complication was general anaesthesia. Late complications, requiring an endourological re-intervention, occurred in 30 men (9.7%).Conclusion: TUR-P in routine clinical practice was associated with a low incidence of severe complications. TUR syndrome was very rare. Within five years a small proportion of men require the transurethral intervention to be redone.

Minimally invasive prostatic urethral lift (PUL) efficacious in TURP candidates: a multicenter German evaluation after 2 years.

INTRODUCTION: Successful outcomes have been reported for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) with the prostatic urethral lift (PUL) in a number of clinical investigations. Our aim was to investigate PUL outcomes in patients treated in a day-to-day clinical setting without the rigid exclusion criteria of clinical studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated the outcome of the PUL procedure at five German departments during the initial period when PUL was approved for the clinic (10/2012-06/2014). All candidates for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) received PUL information and were given the choice of procedures. The only exclusion criterion was an obstructive median lobe. No patients were excluded because of high post-void residual volume (PVR), prostate size, retention history or LUTS oral therapy. Maximum urinary flow (Qmax), PVR, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and Quality of Life (QOL) were assessed at baseline, 1, 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. RESULTS: Of 212 TURP candidates, 86 choose PUL. A mean of 3.8 (2-7) UroLift implants were implanted in patients of 38-85 years with a prostate size of 17-111 ml over 57 (42-90) min under general or local anesthesia. Thirty-eight (38.4%) patients had severe BPH obstruction and would have been denied PUL utilizing previously reported study criteria. Within 1 month 74 (86%) reported substantial symptom relief with significant improvements in Qmax, PVR, IPSS, and QOL (p < 0.001) that was maintained within the follow-up. Sexual function including ejaculation was unchanged or improved. No Clavien-Dindo Grad ≥ 2 was reported postoperatively. Eleven (12.8%) patients were retreated over 2 years. Twelve (86%) of 14 patients presenting with chronic urinary retention were catheter free at last follow-up. CONCLUSION: PUL is a promising surgical technique that may alleviate LUTS, even in patients with severe obstruction.

Does mechanical morcellation of large glands compromise incidental prostate cancer detection on specimen analysis? A pathological comparison with open simple prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to compare the incidental prostate cancer (iPCa) detection rate between pathological specimens from green laser enucleation of the prostate (GreenLEP) and open simple prostatectomy (OSP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In two institutions, the charts of all consecutive patients who underwent OSP between January 2005 and December 2010 were retrospectively reviewed, and the data of all consecutive patients who underwent GreenLEP with tissue morcellation between July 2013 and January 2018 were also collected. Preoperative demographics and pathological findings were recorded. iPCa detection rate was retrospectively compared between the GreenLEP and OSP groups in a propensity score model, including all predetermined variables: Age, preoperative PSA level and prostate volume. RESULTS: Of 738 patients, 402 were included in the propensity-score matching analysis, and they were equally distributed among groups. The overall iPCa detection rates were similar in both groups (9.9% vs. 8.5%; p = 0.73), and there were no statistically significant differences in terms of tumour stage, Gleason score or the rate of clinically significant iPCa, although the number of cassettes analysed was significantly higher in the morcellation group than in the OSP group. No predictive factors for iPCa were identified. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that the mechanical morcellation of large glands had no influence on iPCa detection. Compared with a specimen from standard OSP, a large morcellated tissue sample allows adequate pathological evaluation and does not alter a pathologist's ability to detect iPCa.

Aquablation of the prostate: single-center results of a non-selected, consecutive patient cohort.

PURPOSE: Aquablation of the prostate using the AquaBeam™ system promises equivalent functional outcomes, reduced learning curve, and improved sexual function compared to transurethral prostate resection as shown in prospective randomized trials. This prospective cohort study aims to evaluate if published results can be transferred into the clinical routine in a non-selected patient collective. METHODS: This study includes all patients treated between September 2017 and June 2018 with Aquablation of the prostate. Patients have been evaluated prospectively for the perioperative course and early follow-up. Besides voiding parameter and symptom score, TRUS-volume change, ejaculatory function, and adverse events have been recorded. RESULTS: 118 consecutive patients have been treated in the given time. Aquablation could be carried out successfully in all patients. IPSS, QoL, Qmax, and PVR improved significantly after the procedure and continued to improve during 3-month follow-up. Mean OR time was 20 min, TRUS volume decreased by 65%, and 73% of the patients retained antegrade ejaculation. Thirteen adverse events (> Clavien-Dindo I) occurred in 10 patients. CONCLUSION: The surgical ablation of the prostate using Aquablation achieved significant and immediate improvement of functional voiding parameters Qmax and PVR as well as symptomatic improvement of IPSS and QoL. Aquablation seems to be safe and effective with a low perioperative complication profile even in a non-selected group of patients.

Prospective randomized study comparing monopolar with bipolar transurethral resection of prostate in benign prostatic obstruction: 36-month outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Monopolar transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is the gold standard surgical treatment for bothersome moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to benign prostate obstruction. The aim of the study is to compare monopolar versus bipolar TURP focusing on operative and functional outcomes, and evaluating complications with a long-term follow-up. METHODS: From January 2007 to July 2014, a total of 497 patients were randomized and prospectively scheduled to undergo bipolar (251) or monopolar (246) TURP. International prostate symptom score (IPSS), IPSS-Quality of life (QoL), post-void residual and maximum flow rate were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively at 3, 12, 24 and 36 months. Operative time, length of catheterization and hospitalization were all recorded. Complications were classified and reported. RESULTS: All patients completed the 36-month follow-up visit. Perioperative results showed no statistical significance between the two groups in terms of catheterization days, post-void residual, IPSS, IPSS-QoL score. The hospitalization length was found statistically significant in favor of the bipolar group. The 3-, 12-, 24- and 36-month follow-up showed significant and equal improvements in LUTS related to BPO in the two treatment groups. Regarding TURP complications, significant differences were observed in relation to urethral strictures, blood transfusion and TUR syndrome in favor of the bipolar group. CONCLUSIONS: Monopolar and bipolar TURP are safe and effective techniques for BPH management. Bipolar TURP in our prospective study reported the same efficacy of monopolar prostate resection, with a significant reduction of related complications.

Management of complications after surgical outlet reduction for benign prostatic obstruction.

INTRODUCTION: Lower urinary tract symptoms are a common complaint. Surgery to debulk hyperplastic prostate tissue is indicated for men with symptoms refractory to medical therapy, or for those who cannot tolerate first-line medications. In recent decades, new endoscopic techniques have been developed to reduce the morbidity of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Nonetheless, complications are still frequently encountered in the immediate, early, and remote postoperative setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this review, we perform an in-depth examination of contemporary treatment strategies for long term complications of surgical outlet reduction procedures. Complications encountered in the remote postoperative setting such as erectile dysfunction (ED), urethral stricture, refractory incontinence, and bladder neck contracture were identified in the literature. RESULTS: Treatment strategies for ED after TURP do not differ from algorithms applied for ED due to other causes. Management of urethral stricture following TURP depends on the size and location of narrowing and can range from simple dilation to complex excision with grafting techniques or perineal urethrostomy. Refractory urinary incontinence requires a full diagnostic evaluation, and artificial urinary sphincter placement is efficacious for cases that do not respond to first-line medical therapy. Finally, numerous therapies for bladder neck contracture exist and vary in their invasiveness. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic reduction of the prostate for the male with benign prostatic obstruction via most contemporary modalities is a safe and effective means to decrease outlet resistance to urinary flow. However, late complications from these procedures still exist. Management of remote morbidity following TURP can be diagnostically and therapeutically complex, necessitating prompt referral to a genitourinary reconstruction specialist.

[Transurethral prostate resection prior to kidney transplantation leading to urethral cicatricial tissue]. / Transuretral prostataresektion forud for nyretransplantation medførende uretral arvævsdannelse.

In Denmark, kidney transplantations in patients above 50 years have increased during the last decade. Consequently, the number of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms due to prostate hypertrophy increases accordingly. We describe two patients, who both had a resection of the prostate while having anuria and waiting for a kidney transplantation from a deceased donor. In both cases it was impossible to place a urethral catheter during the following transplantation due to total urethral occlusion, so a suprapubic catheter was inserted until the scar tissue was dilated or resected by a later transurethral intervention.

Therapeutic designing for urethral obstruction by virtual urethra and flow dynamics simulation.

INTRODUCTION: Transurethral surgery is widely accepted as standard therapy for male urethral obstruction. The present study was undertaken to identify and select lesions to be managed by processing endoscopic images of the urethra for assisting less invasive therapy in patients with voiding dysfunction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cystourethroscopic video files of 25 patients with lower urinary tract symptoms were recorded before and after administration of alpha-1 adrenoceptor antagonists. Each video frame was restored and tagged with information indicating the position in the panoramic image of the urethra. A three-dimensional virtual urethra was created to indicate critical lesions for voiding dysfunction, together with fluid dynamics simulation of urine flow. RESULTS: The urine stream was depicted in the virtual urethras in 19 patients. Before therapy, 17 patients showed vortex formation that was diminished after therapy in nine patients with a significant relationship in improvement of relative energy loss of flow (p=0.025). The narrowing points proximal to the vortex, candidate of lesions, were identified in the panoramic image and linked to the endoscopic image. DISCUSSION: Therapeutic designing for endoscopic management was possible in patients with voiding dysfunction based on computational fluid dynamics, and would be promising as "focal" therapy for aging males.

UroLift system for relief of prostate obstruction under local anesthesia.

Many men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) forego therapy because they are dissatisfied with current treatment options. While surgical resection and ablation using many different forms of energy remain the reference standard for BPH treatment, many men seek a less invasive technique that will improve symptoms but not risk the complications associated with tissue removal. The Prostatic Urethral Lift opens the prostatic urethra with UroLift (NeoTract Inc., Pleasanton, CA, USA) permanent implants that are delivered under cystoscopic visualization. The implants literally "hold open" the lateral prostatic lobes creating a passage through the obstructed prostatic urethra. Voiding and symptoms are significantly improved without the morbidity or possible complications following prostate resection. The entire procedure can be readily performed using local anesthesia. As with all new implant procedures, the technique has evolved with experience. The objective of this article is to describe the most current technique for the delivery of the UroLift implant in order to achieve maximal impact on symptom relief.

Urinary obstruction in prostate cancer patients from the Dutch trial (68 Gy vs. 78 Gy): relationships with local dose, acute effects, and baseline characteristics.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between late urinary obstruction and the details of the dose distribution of irradiated prostate cancer patients, taking into account their baseline symptoms and acute complaints. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We selected patients from the Dutch multicenter trial randomized between 68 Gy and 78 Gy, for whom toxicity data and dose data were available (n = 557). The absolute dose surface parameters of the delineated bladder were calculated. Next, we constructed three-dimensional dose maps of the area around the prostate, providing an approximate identification of the corresponding anatomic locations. The dose difference maps were constructed by subtracting the mean dose maps of the patients with and without late urinary obstruction. Selected local dose points were analyzed using Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Urinary obstruction was scored for 40 patients, including 19 of 296 patients who received 68-72 Gy and 21 of 261 patients who received 76-78 Gy. A total of 19 events occurred within 2 years after irradiation and 21 events after 2 years. The bladder surface receiving >or=80 Gy predicted (p <.01) the occurrence of obstruction within 2 years. The dose difference map indicated highly significant differences in the bladder neck situated in the trigonal region (p < .001) that were especially predictive of obstruction after 2 years and of the diagnosis of bladder neck obstruction. Baseline complaints and transurethral resection of the prostate and acute complaints were mainly predictive for obstruction within 2 years. CONCLUSION: Relatively early events of urinary obstruction were associated with urinary problems existing before RT, acute toxicity, previous transurethral resection of the prostate, and hotspots in the bladder. Events after 2 years were associated with the local dose in the trigonal area.

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)--in the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) in Mekelle, Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy and safety of TURP in the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective record analysis of patients seen at the surgical referral clinic from Dec. 01, 2003 to Nov. 30, 2006 in Mekelle hospital with symptoms suggestive of bladder outflow obstruction caused by BPH. All patients included were carefully scrutinized and subjected to general medical evaluation including digital rectal examination (DRE) and abdominal ultrasonography. The volume, the size of the prostate and the symptoms of BPH were recorded and analyzed. The prostate volume not more than 80 cm3 with moderate to severe obstructive symptoms was selected for TURP offers. RESULTS: During the study there were 71 patients with symptomatic BPH disease among whom 65 cases underwent TURP in Mekelle hospital. In the latter group, ages ranged from 42-86 years with median age of 70 years (mean 66.8 years). Of the total patients seen for BPH disease, six patients had prostate volume greater than 80 cm3 determined by abdominal ultrasonography with DRE who underwent open surgical treatment. Four and two cases had retropubic and transvesical prostatectomies respectively accounting for 8.4%. Longer hospital stay and more resource implications were observed in this group. Of the 65 cases, in sixty (92.3%) patients, TURP alone was of fered. Three (4.6%) cases had both BPH and bladder stone diseases all treated by TURP and litholapaxy at one go. Of these patients two (3.0%) cases had urethral stricture with BPH treated by DVU (direct vision internal urethrotomy) and TURP. In fifty eight (89.2%) of the patients, the outcome after TURP was successful in relieving symptoms. The hospital stay after TURP offers ranged from 2 up to 5 days, the median was 3 days and the mean 2.5 days. CONCLUSION: The present study has revealed that in 58 (89.2%) of the patients with BPH, TURP provided relief of symptoms and improvements in urine flow with minimum complications.

[Transurethral resection of the the prostate for lower urinary tract obstruction from advanced prostate cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) in the treatment of lower urinary tract obstruction due to advanced prostate cancer. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was made of the clinical materials of 26 patients with advanced prostate cancer treated by TURP from May, 2002 to November, 2003. RESULTS: Of the 26 patients, aged 56 - 92 years (75 on average), 3 were at Stage C and 23 at Stage D, and 9 had a history of urine retention, of whom 1 with renal function insufficiency received TURP after 1 month suprapubic drainage. There was little blood loss and no need for blood transfusion. Incontinence was temporary and no retention occurred after surgery. The international prostate symptom score (IPSS) and Karnofsky score improved significantly (29.7 +/- 4.6 versus 8.6 +/- 3.4 and 55 +/- 20 versus 77 +/- 32 respectively, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: TURP is a safe and efficient therapeutic option to relieve lower urinary tract obstruction due to advanced prostate cancer.

Holmium laser enucleation versus transurethral resection of the prostate: results from a 2-center, prospective, randomized trial in patients with obstructive benign prostatic hyperplasia.

PURPOSE: To our knowledge we report the first multicenter, prospective, randomized study comparing holmium laser enucleation (HoLEP) and transurethral prostate resection (TURP) for obstructive benign prostatic hyperplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January to October 2002, 100 consecutive patients with symptomatic obstructive benign prostatic hyperplasia were randomized at 2 centers to surgical treatment with HoLEP (52 in group 1) or TURP (48 in group 2). Patients in the 2 groups were preoperatively assessed by scoring subjective symptoms questionnaires. Preoperative and perioperative parameters were also evaluated, the latter at 1, 6 and 12 months of followup. RESULTS: At baseline all patients had obstruction (Schäfer grade greater than 2). At the 1, 6 and 12-month followups no statistically significant differences were observed between the 2 groups in terms of urodynamic findings and subjective symptom scoring. In the HoLEP group mean total time in the operating room +/- SD was significantly longer than for TURP (74 +/- 19.5 vs 57 +/- 15 minutes, p < 0.05), while catheterization time (31 +/- 13 vs 57.78 +/- 17.5 minutes, p < 0.001 and hospital stay (59 +/- 19.9 vs 85.8 +/- 18.9 hours, p < 0.001) were significantly shorter in the HoLEP group. Transient stress and urge incontinence were more common in the HoLEP group, although at the 12-month followup results were comparable. The overall complication rate was comparable in the 2 groups. Erectile function was also maintained in the followup period from baseline in each group, as expected. CONCLUSIONS: HoLEP and TURP were equally effective for relieving obstruction and lower urinary tract symptoms. HoLEP was associated with shorter catheterization time and hospital stay. At 1 year of followup complications were similar in the 2 groups.

Metastatic Merkel cell tumor to the prostate and bladder.

Merkel cell carcinoma is an uncommon cutaneous neoplasm of neuroendocrine origin. We report the case of a 71-year-old man with Merkel cell carcinoma metastases to the prostate and bladder presenting with lower urinary tract obstruction. Efforts should be made to optimize the patient's quality of life with the finding of metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma to the bladder or prostate until better adjuvant therapies are identified.

Lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia: maintaining symptom control and reducing complications.

Because the average patient with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or LUTS/BPH, has a remaining life expectancy of 15 to 20 years, both short-term and long-term outcomes matter in the management of LUTS/BPH. Sustained symptom control and improvement of quality of life (QOL), control of disease progression (ie, prevention or reduction of bladder wall hypertrophy [BWH]/increased bladder mass and reduction of the risk of serious complications), and minimization of the need to switch to other medical therapy or surgery are important. In this respect, alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonists, such as tamsulosin, have been shown to provide effective and rapid relief of symptoms and improvement in QOL, which is sustained in the long term (up to 6 years). Obstruction may, in the long term, induce changes in the bladder wall (eg, BWH), which may result in (irreversible) bladder damage and serious complications. Preliminary data suggest that alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonists prevent the development of BWH in rabbits and reduce existing BWH in obstructed LUTS/BPH patients. Pooled analyses and indirect comparisons of clinical studies up to 1 year have shown that alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonists, such as tamsulosin, reduce the risk of acute urinary retention and the need for surgery to at least the same extent as the 5alpha-reductase inhibitor finasteride. In addition, monotherapy with an alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist reduces the risk of long-term clinical progression; the combination with finasteride may be more beneficial in patients at high risk (patients with large prostate volume, high level of prostate-specific antigen, high International Prostate Symptom Score, high postvoid residual amount, and low maximum flow rate). Therefore, alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonists, such as tamsulosin, are first-line therapy, not only in the short term but also in the long-term management of LUTS/BPH.