Ethanol-glycine irrigating fluid for transurethral resection of the prostate in practice.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the usefulness of a tracer of 1% ethanol in 1. 5% glycine in the early detection of irrigation fluid absorption during transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).


METHODS
Patients (120) undergoing TURP were irrigated with 1% ethanol in 1.5% glycine solution and their expired air tested for alcohol every 10 min during the procedure.


RESULTS
In all, 112 patients were assessed; over half of the patients absorbed the irrigation fluid and they had a significantly lower postoperative serum sodium concentration (P < 0.002). Fourteen patients (12.5%) absorbed over 500 mL and two (1.8%) developed clinical features of the TUR syndrome. The experience of the surgeon, the weight of resected chips and the operative duration were not significantly predictive of absorption.


CONCLUSIONS
A tracer amount of ethanol in the irrigant is reliable for detecting absorption. Irrigating fluid absorption was unpredictable, thus supporting the case for routine monitoring.
Okeke
A A
AA
Departments of Urology and Anaesthesia, Weston General Hospital, Weston-super-Mare, UK.
Lodge
R
R
Hinchliffe
A
A
Walker
A
A
Dickerson
D
D
Gillatt
D A
DA
D000042:Absorption; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000431:Ethanol; D005998:Glycine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011469:Prostatic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000379:methods*; D020728:Transurethral Resection of Prostate / Q000379:methods*
D004338:Drug Combinations; D000431:Ethanol; D005998:Glycine