Transurethral plasmakinetic resection versus enucleation for benign prostatic hyperplasia: comparison of intraoperative safety profiles based on endoscopic surgical monitoring system

OBJECTIVE: To compare the intraoperative safety profiles of transurethral plasmakinetic resection of the prostate (PK-TURP) with transurethral plasmakinetic endoscopic enucleation of the prostate (PK-EEP) in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) based on endoscopic surgical monitoring system (ESMS). METHODS: A total of 128 patients who were diagnosed with BPH were stratified based on prostate volume (PV) and accepted PK-EEP or PK-TURP treatment at 1:1 ratio. The ESMS as a novel method was used to monitor blood loss and fluid absorption during the operation. Clinical parameters such as intraoperative blood loss volume, fluid absorption volume, operation time, tissue weight of resection, preoperative and postoperative red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (HB), hematocrit (HCT), electrolyte, postoperative bladder irrigation time, indwelling catheter time, hospital stay time and other associated complications were documented and compared between two groups. RESULTS: No significant differences in majority of baseline characteristics were observed among patients with different prostate volumes between two surgical methods. For patients with prostate volume < 40 ml, the average operation time of patients who received PK-EEP treatment was much more than those who received PK-TURP (P = 0.003). On the other hand, for patients with prostate volume > 40 ml, the PK-TURP surgery was associated with a significant increase in intraoperative blood loss (P = 0.021, in PV 40–80 ml group; P = 0.014, in PV > 80 ml group), fluid absorption (P = 0.011, in PV 40–80 ml group; P = 0.006, in PV > 80 ml group) and postoperative bladder irrigation time as well as indwelling catheter time but decrease in resected tissue weight compared to the PK-EEP treatment. CONCLUSION: The ESMS plays an important role in comparison of intraoperative safety profiles between PK-TURP and PK-EEP. Our data suggest that PK-TURP treatment is associated with a decreased operation time in patients with prostate volume < 40 ml and the PK-EEP treatment is associated with decreased intraoperative blood loss, fluid absorption and increased tissue resection for patients with prostate volume > 40 ml. Our results indicate that the size of prostate should be considered when choosing the right operation method.