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Updated: Oct 16, 2025

Surgical Treatment for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate HoLEP.
Published on: March 6, 2018
Comparison of epidural, spinal, and saddle block for holmium laser enucleation of prostate (HoLEP): A prospective
Young Hoon Kim1, So Young Kwon2, Eun Hwa Jun2
1Department of Anesthesiology and pain medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, the Catholic University of Korea, Republic of Korea.
Background:
Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) has become an important treatment modality for benign prostate hypertrophy. The aim of the present study was to compare regional anesthesia methods for HoLEP operation and to determine the optimal technique.
Methods:
Sixty patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists scores of I-III were randomly allocated into 3 groups. Patients in group E received an epidural block with 75 mg of bupivacaine plus 50 μg of fentanyl. In group S, 15 mg of bupivacaine and 50 μg fentanyl were used for spinal anesthesia. In group SA, patients received saddle block with 15 mg of bupivacaine and 50 μg of fentanyl.
Results:
Time to T10 dermatome block and to maximal level block were longest in group E (P < .05), and maximal sensorial block level was higher in group E than group SA (P < .05). There was a significant difference in postoperative motor block, but no difference in systolic blood pressure and heart rate.
Conclusion:
Among 3 techniques, saddle block might be preferable in HoLEP because an adequate sensorial level was achieved with lower motor block and stable hemodynamics.
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