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Updated: Mar 8, 2026
Enucleation of the Prostate for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Using a 980 nm Diode Laser
Published on: May 5, 2020
Evaluation of the Learning Curve for Transurethral Plasmakinetic Enucleation and Resection of Prostate Using a
Lang Feng1, Jian Song1, Daoxin Zhang1
1Department of Urology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Objective:
To analyze the mentor-based learning curve of one single surgeon with transurethral plasmakinetic enucleation and resection of prostate (PKERP) prospectively.
Materials And Methods:
Ninety consecutive PKERP operations performed by one resident under the supervision of an experienced endourologist were studied. Operations were analyzed in cohorts of 10 cases to determine when a plateau was reached for the variables such as operation efficiency, enucleation efficiency and frequency of mentor advice (FMA). Patient demographic variables, perioperative data, complications and 12-month follow-up data were analyzed and compared with the results of a senior urologist.
Results:
The mean operative efficiency and enucleation efficiency increased from a mean of 0.49±0.09g/min and 1.11±0.28g/min for the first 10 procedures to a mean of 0.63±0.08g/min and 1.62±0.36g/min for case numbers 31-40 (p=0.003 and p=0.002). The mean value of FMA decreased from a mean of 6.7±1.5 for the first 10 procedures to a mean of 2.8±1.2 for case numbers 31-40 (p<0.01). The senior urologist had a mean operative efficiency and enucleation efficiency equivalent to those of the senior resident after 40 cases. There was significant improvement in 3, 6 and 12 month's parameter compared with preoperative values (p<0.001).
Conclusions:
PKERP can be performed safely and efficiently even during the initial learning curve of the surgeon when closely mentored. Further well-designed trials with several surgeons are needed to confirm the results.
