Transurethral electrovaporization of the prostate versus transurethral resection of the prostate: a prospective...

We evaluated the safety, efficacy and complications of two treatment modalities of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH): transurethral electrovaporization of the prostate (TVP) versus transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) in a randomized prospective trial. A total of 40 consecutive patients with symptomatic BHP was randomized to undergo TVP or TURP. International prostate symptom score, peak urinary flow rate and post-void residual urine volume were measured at baseline and 1, 3, 6 months. Other parameters evaluated included operative time, operative blood loss, sexual functional changes and postoperative catheterization time. Symptom scores improved at all follow-up intervals compared with pretreatment values for both groups. For TVP and TURP groups scores decreased from 20.6 (12-27) to 0.6 (0-3) and from 21.5 to 3.9 (1-9) and peak urinary flow rates increased from 5.1 ml/sec to 21.4 ml/sec and 4.6 ml/sec to 17.7 ml/sec at 6th month respectively. There were no major complications in the TVP group while in the TURP group 5 (25%) patient required repeat catheterization secondary to clot retention. Two patient (12.5%) in TVP group and 12 patient (70.5%) in TURP group reported retrograde ejaculation. In conclusion the results indicate that TVP is effective as standard TURP in the treatment of BPH. TVP seems more beneficial than the TURP as far as the intra and post operative morbidity is concerned.