[Clinical study of transurethral electrovaporization of the prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia]

We report our clinical experience of transurethral electrovaporization of the prostate (TUVP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) using VaporTrode developed by Circon ACMI. From April to November 1995, we treated 22 patients with symptomatic BPH with TUVP. The mean I-PSS decreased significantly, from 21.8 at baseline to 8.1, 4.5, 4.3 and 5.4 at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after operation, respectively. The mean QOL index also decreased significantly, from 5.2 to 1.5, 1.0, 1.3 and 1.3. The mean peak flow rate increased significantly, from 9.0 preoperatively to 17.4, 17.7, 20.8 and 16.5 ml/sec at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after TUVP, respectively. The mean prostate volume decreased significantly, from 41.5 to 22.9, 18.6, 18.8 and 19.9 ml. The mean residual urine decreased significantly, from 90.0 to 17.6, 20.6, 24.1 and 9.4 ml. As for overall efficacy, the rate of excellent and good cases at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months was 77.3, 95.5, 95.0 and 84.2%, respectively. No serious complications were observed. Our clinical results suggest that TUVP using VaporTrode has several potential advantages including good efficacy, minimal morbidity and lower cost compared with other less invasive procedures, and may become the useful way of surgical treatment for BPH.