Outcome of vaportrode transurethral vaporization of the prostate using pressure-flow urodynamic criteria

To use pressure-flow urodynamic parameters to evaluate the outcome of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) who were treated with transurethral vaporization of the prostate (TUVP) using the Vaportrode.

Forty consecutive patients (mean age 71.7 years) undergoing TUVP for treatment of symptomatic obstructive BPH or urinary retention were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively with American Urological Association (AUA) Symptom Score, uroflowmetry, and pressure-flow multichannel urodynamic studies.

Twenty-nine patients were voiding preoperatively. Eleven patients presented with urinary retention and were analyzed separately. At 3-month mean follow-up, the AUA Symptom Score decreased from 20.7 to 7.2 (n = 26). Peak uroflow rate (Qmax) increased from 8.2 to 15.5 mL/s (n = 27), whereas detrusor pressure at maximal flow (Pdet) decreased from 95.0 to 44.7 cm H2O (n = 24), indicating relief of obstruction. Postvoid residual urine volume decreased from 181.8 to 37.3 mL (n = 27). At 1-year mean follow-up, the AUA Symptom Score was 5.6 (n = 15) and Qmax was 14.3 mL/s (n = 19). The overall complication rate was 17.5% and included meatal stenosis (n = 1), bulbar urethral stricture (n = 1), refractory detrusor hyperreflexia (n = 1), dystrophic bladder neck calcification (n = 1), prostatic synechial formation requiring revision (n = 2), and residual prostatic tissue requiring revision (n = 1).

This study provides objective evidence that TUVP is effective in providing prompt relief of bladder outlet obstruction with durable improvement in symptoms and flow rate with no acute morbidity. Accordingly, TUVP should continue to be considered as a minimally invasive surgical alternative to transurethral resection of the prostate.