TURIS plasma vaporization--initial Romanian experience with a new technology

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• BPH Treatment

Background:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) affects a significant portion of the aging male population.
• Traditional treatments like transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) carry risks and recovery times.
• Bipolar electrosurgical techniques are emerging as promising alternatives for BPH management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel technique: transurethral resection in saline - plasma vaporization of the prostate (TURIS-PVP).
• To assess short-term postoperative outcomes and patient recovery following TURIS-PVP.
• To compare TURIS-PVP outcomes against established BPH treatment benchmarks.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 25 patients with BPH undergoing TURIS-PVP.
• Preoperative and 1-month postoperative assessments included: digital rectal examination (DRE), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL) score, maximum flow rate (Qmax), and ultrasound for prostate volume and post-voiding residual volume (RV).

Main Results:

• TURIS-PVP was successfully performed in all cases with an average operating time of 28 minutes.
• Mean catheterization time was 24 hours, and mean hospital stay was 48 hours, with no transfusions or re-catheterization needed.
• Significant improvements were observed at 1 month post-surgery: IPSS decreased from 21.4 to 4, QoL score improved from 4 to 1.4, RV reduced from 72 ml to 14 ml, and Qmax increased from 9.7 ml/s to 21.5 ml/s.

Conclusions:

• TURIS-PVP is a valuable endoscopic treatment option for BPH, demonstrating good efficacy and reduced morbidity.
• The procedure is associated with satisfactory short-term follow-up parameters and rapid postoperative recovery.
• Significant improvements in urinary symptoms, quality of life, and urinary flow rates confirm TURIS-PVP's therapeutic value.