title: A prospective randomised controlled study comparing bipolar plasma vaporisation of the prostate to monopolar transurethral resection of the prostate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the safety and efficacy of bipolar transurethral plasma vaporisation (B-TUVP) as an alternative to the 'gold standard' monopolar transurethral resection of the prostate (M-TURP) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in a prospective randomised controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 82 patients indicated for prostatectomy were assigned to two groups, group I (40 patients) underwent B-TUVP and group II (42 patients) underwent M-TURP. The safety of both techniques was evaluated by reporting perioperative changes in serum Na+, serum K+, haematocrit (packed cell volume), and any perioperative complications. For the efficacy assessment, patients were evaluated subjectively by comparing the improvement in International Prostate Symptom Score and objectively by measuring the maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) and post-void residual urine volume (PVR) before and after the procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group II, there was a significant perioperative drop in serum Na+(from 137.5 to 129.4 mmol/L) and haematocrit (from 42.9% to 38.2%) (bothP< 0.001). Moreover, one patient in group II had TUR syndrome. The remote postoperative complication rate was (15%) in group I and comprised of stress urinary incontinence (5%), bladder outlet obstruction (5%), and residual adenoma (5%). In group II, the remote postoperative complication rate was (4.8%), as two patients developed urethral stricture. There were statistically significant improvements in micturition variables postoperatively in both arms, but the magnitude of improvement was statistically more significant in group II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  B-TUPV seems to be safer than M-TURP; however, the lack of a tissue specimen and the relatively high retreatment rate are major disadvantages of the B-TUVP technique. Moreover, M-TURP appears to be more effective than B-TUPV and its safety can be improved by careful case selection and adequate haemostasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Elsakka
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hssan H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Eltatawy
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
authors.forename: Khaled H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Almekaty
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ramadan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
authors.forename: Tarik A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Gameel
authors.affiliation: Sheikh Khalifa General Hospital, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Yasser
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Farahat
keywords: BNO, bladder neck obstruction; Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); Bladder outlet obstruction (BOO); International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS); Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS); PVR, post-void residual urine volume; Qmax, maximum urinary flow rate; Transurethral resection of prostate (TURP)