title: Safer transurethral resection of the prostate: coagulating intermittent cutting reduces hemostatic complications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is still the gold standard for the surgical treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. However, the associated morbidity and blood loss remain concerns. A coagulating intermittent cutting (CIC) device with constant voltage pulses and controlled pulse intervals was recently developed. The impact of CIC on bleeding and blood transfusion rates as well as the occurrence of the TUR syndrome were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2000 to July 2002, 271 consecutive patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia underwent TURP with the CIC device. In addition to blood transfusion rates, serum hemoglobin and electrolytes were determined in all patients immediately before and after TURP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mortality rate in the 271 patients subjected to TURP was 0.0%. Mean decrease in hemoglobin after TURP was 1.08 mg/dl. Intraoperative and postoperative blood transfusions were required in 7 patients (2.6%), and clinical signs of the transurethral resection syndrome were noted in 1.1% of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coagulating intermittent cutting dramatically improves the safety of TURP by decreasing intraoperative and postoperative blood loss, and the rate of blood transfusions. With this blood sparing device we anticipate a lower incidence of hemostatic complications from TURP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Innsbuck, Austria. andreas.p.berger@uibk.ac.at
authors.forename: Andreas P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wirtenberger
authors.forename: Jasmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bektic
authors.forename: Hannes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Spranger
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bartsch
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Horninger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020728:Transurethral Resection of Prostate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*