Bipolar technology for transurethral prostatectomy

Bipolar electrosurgical technology has gained worldwide attention with various companies introducing devices, such as the Gyrus PlasmaKinetic™ Tissue Management System (Gyrus ACMI, MN, USA) and the Olympus(®) UES-40 Surgmaster generator (Olympus, Tokyo, Japan), which is aimed at minimizing the morbidity of standard monopolar transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), whilst also maintaining efficacy and durability. The Gyrus PlasmaKinetic System effectively controls bleeding, resulting in a clear operative field; it greatly reduces risk of transurethral resection syndrome, thus providing a new option among minimally-invasive surgical treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia. In a meta-analysis of head-to-head comparisons between the monopolar and bipolar TURP, the operation times, transfusion rates, retention rates after catheter removal and urethral complications did not differ significantly. Irrigation and catheterization duration was significantly longer with monopolar TURP.