title: Complications and risk factors in transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prostate biopsy is not a procedure without risk. There is concern about major complications and which antibiotics are best for routine use before these biopsies. The objective was to determine the rate of complications and the possible risk factors in prostate biopsies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided prostate biopsies were carried out in 174 patients presenting either abnormality in digital rectal examinations (DRE) or levels higher than 4 ng/ml in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, or both.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hemorrhagic complications were the most common (75.3%), while infectious complications occurred in 19% of the cases. Hematuria was the most frequent type (56%). Urinary tract infection (UTI) occurred in 16 patients (9.2%). Sepsis was observed in three patients (1.7%). The presence of an indwelling catheter was a risk factor for infectious complications (p < 0.05). Higher numbers of biopsies correlated with hematuria, rectal bleeding and infectious complications (p < 0.05). The other conditions investigated did not correlate with post-biopsy complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Post-biopsy complications were mostly self-limiting. The rate of major complications was low, thus showing that TRUS guided prostate biopsy was safe and effective. Higher numbers of fragments taken in biopsies correlated with hematuria, rectal bleeding and infectious complications. An indwelling catheter represented a risk factor for infectious complications. The use of aspirin was not an absolute contraindication for TRUS.
authors.affiliation: Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Unesp, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. marcio@fmb.unesp.br
authors.forename: Carlos Márcio Nóbrega
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: de Jesus
authors.forename: Luiz Antônio
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Corrêa
authors.forename: Carlos Roberto
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Padovani
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D006417:Hematuria / Q000209:etiology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011467:Prostate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology