The anatomy of a prostate waiting list: a prospective study of 132 consecutive patients

To report the results of a standard evaluation programme performed prior to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH).

All 132 patients with symptoms of prostatism on the waiting list for surgery were invited to attend the hospital to undergo a physical examination, symptom evaluation and routine blood sampling. Of these, 117 attended. If the suspicion of BPH was sustained a transrectal ultrasound examination of the prostate and a urodynamic evaluation, including a pressure-flow study, were performed.

Urodynamic evaluation was carried out in 80 of the 117 patients who attended the clinic. Infravesical obstruction was present in 61 patients while in 19 (24%) there was no obstruction. An operative procedure to relieve obstruction was performed in 65 patients (49%).

In a population of patients scheduled for TURP, 24% were found not to have an obstruction. This is in accordance with other reports. As the patients with few symptoms and those who did not have an obstruction were treated conservatively only 49% of the referred cases underwent prostatic surgery.