Transurethral versus open prostatectomy - 6 years experience

ABSTRACT

In 864 operations done for prostatic obstruction over 6 years, 237 were Millin prostatectomy and 627 TUR. Of the latter, 17 patients [2.7%] needed re-doing. The postoperative complications following open surgery were stricture urethra in 8 cases [3.4%], incontinence in two [0.8%], suprapubic fistula in 7 [2.6%] and death in four [1.7%]. Following TUR only 9 cases had stricture [1.4%], 6 were incontinent [0.9%] and 17 [2.7%] had prostatic obstruction. Uroflowmetry was done for 85 patients with no change between the pattern done two and four weeks postoperatively and with a mean flow of 16.5 and 17.7 ml/sec respectively. Suprapubic real-time ultrasonic assessment of the size of the prostate was done with comparison to the postoperative symptoms and residual prostatic tissue. All the cases resected once or twice had finally a satisfactory voiding pattern although 54% had residual prostatic tissue on ultrasound