title: The role of bipolar transurethral vaporization in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A prospective randomized study was conducted to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of bipolar plasma vaporization with a novel electrode that produces vaporization of the tissue (transurethral vaporization of the prostate, TUVP) immersed in isotonic saline compared to the standard transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
  
  
  METHODS
  From February 2009 to February 2010, 90 patients with BPH were randomized into two groups, and underwent conventional TURP (group 1) or TUVP (group 2) utilizing bipolar plasma vaporization with an innovative electrode (Olympus Winter & Ibe GmbH, Hamburg, Germany). International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS), transrectal ultrasonographic findings, maximal urine flow rates (Qmax), and postvoiding residual urine (PVRU) volumes of all cases were evaluated preoperatively and 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year postoperatively. Preoperative and postoperative serum hemoglobin, hematocrit and sodium concentrations of all patients were measured. All patients included in the study were monitored for 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In patients in group 1 (n = 47; mean age: 64.7 ± 7.3 years) TURP was performed. The patients in group 2 (n = 43; mean age: 65.4 ± 8.9 years) underwent bipolar TUVP. Cases in the two study groups matched for demographic characteristics and clinical parameters were assessed. The evaluation of IPSS scores, PVRU, Qmax, and prostatic volumes of the patients 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year postoperatively did not reveal any significant differences between the two groups. In group 2 (TUVP), postoperative catheter indwelling times were significantly shorter, and Na serum concentrations were also markedly lower (p < 0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We detected similar effectiveness and morbidity rates in both groups. Bipolar TUVP has advantages such as shorter catheter indwelling times and hospital stays, and fewer bleeding episodes without any risk of transurethral resection syndrome. We believe that TUVP might be an alternative to TURP which is currently the 'gold standard' treatment in BPH.
authors.affiliation: Clinics of II Urology, Taksim Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. drbnuhoglu @ gmail.com
authors.forename: Bariş
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nuhoğlu
authors.forename: Mustafa Bahadir Can
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Balci
authors.forename: Memduh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Ismet
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hazar
authors.forename: Özkan
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Onuk
authors.forename: Tuncay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taş
authors.forename: Onur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fikri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D020728:Transurethral Resection of Prostate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey; D014546:Urinary Catheterization; D014563:Urodynamics; D014835:Volatilization