Turgay Kacan, Department of Urology, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
Berat C. Ozgur, Department of Urology, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
Omer Gokhan-Doluoglu, Department of Urology, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
Kadir T. Akgul, Private Practice, Ankara, Turkey
Mete Kucukaslan, Department of Urology, Igdir State Hospital, Igdir, Turkey
Objectives: Lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia in men increase with aging. Risks related to anesthesia and surgery have led a search for alternative treatments. Bipolar radiofrequency (RF) thermotherapy is one of the methods adopted in patients with high surgical risks. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of bipolar RF thermotherapy and transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) methods on voiding symptoms and on post-operative complication rates especially in patients carrying high surgical risks. Methods: Pre-operative, post-operative 1st and 6th month International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Qmax, quality of life, prostate volumes, and postoperative complications of the patients underwent TURP and RF for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were compared. Results: In the RF group, the pre-operative median IPSS was 30, prostate volume 41.5 cc, post-void residual (PVR) 80 ml, and Qmax is 5.85 ml/s.; In the TURP group, these were 29, 40 cc, 85 ml, and 5.3 ml/sec, respectively. In the Bipolar RF group, post-operative 1st- and 6th-month median values were IPSS 18, 21; prostate volume 40, 40; PVR 40, 35; Qmax 10.9, 9.15 and in the TURP group IPSS 9, 8; prostate volume 20, 20; PVR 30, 10; Qmax 17.25, 19.1, respectively. Conclusion: Bipolar RF thermotherapy is an applicable treatment method for BPH patients with high surgical risks.
Keywords: Prostatic hyperplasia. Radiofrequency. Transurethral resection of prostate. Transurethral Thermotherapy.