Incidence of Infection Following Local Anesthetic Transperineal Prostate Biopsy: A Single-Centre Experience

Background Local anesthetic transperineal prostate biopsy (LATP) is a widely used diagnostic procedure for prostate cancer. As a diagnostic procedure, it should carry minimal risk. However, morbidity resulting from prostate biopsy is frequent. Prostate biopsy, like any other intervention, carries a significant risk of various infections, ranging from urinary tract infections (UTIs) to potentially life-threatening conditions like sepsis. Aim This study examined the rate of infections following a prostate biopsy at a single center and sought to identify risk factors that could increase the likelihood of developing an infection. Methods A retrospective review was conducted on all 168 patients who underwent LATP biopsy between 01/04/2022 and 01/04/2023. Data were collected from the Clinical Record and Reporting System (CRRS). Patient characteristics, including age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, prostate volume, the main indication for the biopsy, number of cores taken, antibiotic prophylaxis, and comorbidities were analyzed. The inclusion criteria encompassed all patients receiving this procedure within the specified timeframe, without restrictions on age, underlying health conditions, or medical history. No exclusion criteria were applied, aiming to comprehensively analyze and capture the full spectrum of patient outcomes and characteristics associated with these biopsies during the study period. Results In terms of socio-demographics, all patients were male with an average age (mean) of 65.5 years, a mean PSA level of 13.9 ng/dL, and an average prostate volume of 66.1 mL. On average, 23.2 biopsy cores were taken. All patients received antibiotic prophylaxis, mainly ciprofloxacin. Despite this, 1.78% of patients (n=3) developed post-biopsy infections. Two of these patients had diabetes mellitus, and two had a large prostate volume of 95 mL.