[Prostatic Urethral Lift under local anesthesia: Single-centre retrospective observational study]

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• UroLift implant placement offers advantages over conventional endoscopic surgery, particularly for patients prioritizing sexual function preservation and rapid recovery.
• The absence of general anesthesia contributes to the minimally invasive nature and faster recovery associated with the UroLift procedure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of UroLift implant placement performed under local anesthesia.
• To assess patient tolerance and procedural success rates when using local anesthesia for UroLift.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing UroLift between 2017 and 2021.
• Local anesthesia protocol involved intraurethral instillation of 2% Xylocaine gel prior to the procedure.
• Primary endpoint: successful procedure completion without additional anesthesia or analgesia due to pain.

Main Results:

• Twenty-seven patients were included (median age 65 years, prostate volume 46mL, baseline IPSS 23).
• The UroLift procedure was successfully completed under local anesthesia in all cases after the initial three patients, with no need for additional anesthesia or analgesia.
• Operating time averaged 10 minutes with minimal pain (VAS 1). At 3 months, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) significantly improved to 9 (P=0.001).

Conclusions:

• UroLift implant placement is feasible and safe under local anesthesia, with no procedural failures.
• The observed improvement in IPSS scores is consistent with findings from previous clinical trials, supporting local anesthesia as a viable option.