Transurethral water vapour thermal therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia under local anaesthesia alone: initial experience in Chinese patients

• Published in: Hong Kong medical journal = Xianggang yi xue za zhi Vol. 30; no. 3; p. 227
• Main Authors: Lo, K L, Mok, A, Ko, I C H, Yuen, S K K, Chiu, P K F, Ng, C F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China Hong Kong Academy of Medicine 01.06.2024
• Subjects: Ablation; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anesthesia, Local - methods; Antibiotics; Anticoagulants; Bladder; Catheters; East Asian People; Hong Kong; Humans; Hyperplasia; Hyperthermia, Induced - adverse effects; Hyperthermia, Induced - methods; Local anesthesia; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms - etiology; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms - surgery; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms - therapy; Male; Middle Aged; Operative Time; Patients; Prostate; Prostatic Hyperplasia - surgery; Prostatic Hyperplasia - therapy; Retrospective Studies; Steam; Surgery; Surgical outcomes; Transurethral Resection of Prostate - adverse effects; Transurethral Resection of Prostate - methods; Treatment Outcome; Urogenital system; Hong Kong; Prostatic hyperplasia; Hyperthermia; Lower urinary tract symptoms; Steam
• ISSN: 1024-2708; 2226-8707
• DOI: 10.12809/hkmj2210330

This study evaluated the perioperative and early postoperative outcomes of transurethral water vapour thermal therapy (WVTT) under local anaesthesia alone for benign prostatic enlargement in Chinese patients. This retrospective review of transurethral WVTT for benign prostatic enlargement focused on 50 Chinese patients who exhibited clinical indications (acute retention of urine or symptomatic lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic enlargement) for surgical treatment between June 2020 and December 2021 in Hong Kong. Exclusion criteria included active urinary tract problems and urological malignancies. Follow-up was conducted at 3 months postoperatively. The median patient age was 71.5 years. The mean preoperative prostatic volume was 56.7 mL. The mean operation time was 25.1 minutes. All procedures were performed under local anaesthesia alone. The mean pain scores for transrectal ultrasound probe insertion, transperineal local anaesthesia injection, and transurethral WVTT were 2, 5, and 4, respectively. Forty-nine patients (98%) were discharged on the same day with a urethral catheter. Forty-eight patients (96%) successfully completed a trial without catheter within 3 weeks postoperatively. Five patients (10%) had unplanned hospital admission within 30 days postoperatively due to surgical complications (Clavien-Dindo grade 1). Transurethral WVTT, an advanced surgical treatment for benign prostatic enlargement, is a safe procedure that relieves lower urinary tract symptoms with minimal hospital stay. It can be performed in an office-based setting under local anaesthesia, maximising utilisation of the surgical theatre.