Thulium:yttrium-aluminium-garnet laser prostatectomy in men with refractory urinary retention

To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of thulium:yttrium-aluminium-garnet (YAG) laser prostatectomy in patients with an indwelling transurethral catheter due to recurrent urinary retention secondary to benign prostatic obstruction.

Preoperative data and postoperative outcome, as well as complications, were recorded in 65 patients with a history of recurrent urinary retention before surgery (group A), who were compared with a group of 143 men with no recurrent urinary retention (group B).

The mean (sd) volume of the prostate was 45.6 (22.5) and 43.1 (24.5) mL in groups A and B, respectively. The respective preoperative prostate-specific antigen levels were 3.6 (7.8) and 2.8 (6.4) ng/mL, the surgical duration 72.4 (28.9) and 65.6 (28.6) min, the mean laser time and energy 32.5 (11.8) min/140.7 (42.1) kJ and 29.4 (11.6) min/117.6 (11.6) kJ, the maximum urinary flow rate after surgery 19.6 (11.2) and 19.1 (9.6) mL/s, and the postvoid residual urine volume 26.7 (36.3) and 20.6 (27.3) mL. Recorded complications were: bleeding, at 3% in group A and 1.4% in group B; urinary tract infection 15.4% and 4.2%; and a second procedure, 3% and 2.3%. Overall, complications were more frequent in group A (P = 0.02).

Thulium:YAG prostatectomy is feasible and effective, even in patients with potentially impaired detrusor function. The long-term durability of these promising results has yet to be confirmed.