Does disposable needle guide minimize infectious complications after transrectal prostate needle biopsy?

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Infectious Disease Prevention
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Transrectal prostate biopsy is a common procedure for diagnosing prostate cancer.
• Infectious complications, including bacteriuria, urinary tract infections, fever, and bacteremia, are potential risks.
• Minimizing these complications is crucial for patient safety and procedural success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a disposable transrectal ultrasound needle guide in preventing infectious complications after prostate biopsy.
• To compare the complication rates between disposable and reusable needle guides.

Main Methods:

• A randomized study involving 198 patients undergoing transrectal prostate biopsy.
• Patients were assigned to either a reusable needle guide group (110 patients) or a disposable needle guide group (88 patients).
• All patients received prophylactic antibiotics (ciprofloxacin) and were monitored for infectious complications.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in baseline patient characteristics (age, PSA levels, prostate volume) were observed between the groups.
• Infectious complication rates were significantly lower in the group using the disposable needle guide (P < 0.001).
• No cases of bacteremia were reported in either group.

Conclusions:

• The disposable transrectal ultrasound needle guide is effective in minimizing the risk of infection after prostate biopsy.
• Disposable needle guides represent a safe and effective alternative to reusable guides for transrectal prostate biopsies.