First clinical experience with new transurethral bipolar prostate electrosurgery resection system: controlled tissue...

Bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) can allow transurethral debulking of the adenoma with a lower potential for complications from systemic absorption of hypotonic irrigant. We evaluated a new bipolar double-loop resection system with a dedicated controlled ablation (Coblation) generator in this context.

In our series of 36 patients, 32 underwent transurethral bipolar loop resection, of whom 12 had prostates >50 cc (range for entire series 30-126 cc) on transrectal ultrasonography. Ten men had indwelling catheters because of urinary retention. The four other patients underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumors. After an initial learning curve of eight TURPs, some minor technical modifications were made, both to the bipolar-loop resection technique and to the hardware. The modified Vista Coblation system was subsequently evaluated by 18 other urologists in 17 other centers throughout the U.S.

The median resected dry weight was 22 g, and the median operating-room time was 48 minutes, giving a median resection rate of approximately 1 g every 2 minutes. Two of the eight men in our learning curve required treatment for delayed bleeding problems (clot obstruction of catheter), and one of these received a blood transfusion. Transfusion was not required subsequently regardless of prostate size, even in men with larger glands. One of the patients treated for bladder tumor had a minor perforation of the posterior bladder wall, which healed with conservative management. In the multicenter experience in the U.S., there were 59 evaluable patients. The median resected weight was 23 g, and the median resection time was 55 minutes. Two men required conversion to monopolar roller coagulation for intraoperative bleeding. Most patients (80%) were discharged from hospital within 24 hours. No adverse neuromuscular stimulation occurred.

This first single-center and international multicenter experience with Coblation technology for bipolar double-loop saline TURP confirms the feasibility and safety of this procedure. Subjective evaluation showed the four most important perceived benefits of bipolar over monopolar TURP to be smoother cutting action, elimination of TUR syndrome, less tissue burning (and no smell), and reduced bleeding. The results of randomized studies with this technology are awaited, while its role in bladder tumor resection remains unclear.