[Electrovaporization in the treatment of bladder cancer]

Specialists of the Research Institute of Urology have practiced combination of transurethral resection (TUR) with electrovaporization in endoscopic treatment of bladder cancer (BC) since 1995. A total of 46 patients with transient cell BC (29 males and 17 females aged 49-87) stage Ta-T1 (32 patients) and T2-T3b (14 patients) underwent TUR or electrovaporization (if morphologically verified) of the exophytic part of the tumor. In addition, electrovaporization of the base of the tumor was made. Main indications for such treatment were standard indications for TUR in contraindications for more radical treatment. 6-24-month follow-up was possible in 23(71.9%) patients with superficial BC (group 1) and in 9(64.2%) patients with invasive BC (group 2). Endoscopically, the recurrence was detected in 3(13%) and 5(55.5%) patients of group 1 and 2, respectively. They were reoperated on with electrovaporization. It is inferred that TUR-vaporization of the bladder is an effective endoscopic treatment of superficial BC. Electrovaporization is a good palliative treatment in patients with invasive BC when radical surgery is impossible. It inhibits the progression of the disease, prevents hemorrhages due to the tumor destruction, reduces intraoperative blood loss, improves endoscopic visualization. It may also increase the operation ablasticity.