Absorption of Irrigation Fluid During Thulium Laser Vaporization of the Prostate

Irrigation fluid absorption during transurethral bipolar and laser prostate surgery: a systematic review

PURPOSE

Transurethral endoscopic procedures using bipolar current, or laser energy are nowadays widely accepted and have replaced the traditional monopolar resection. A major advantage of these techniques is the utilization of isotonic saline as irrigation solution, which minimizes side effects such as symptoms associated to classical transurethral resection syndrome (TUR-syndrome). Nonetheless, clinically significant IFA also occurs with saline and is determined by pressure gradients, systemic resistance and by the amount of irrigation fluid. We aimed to investigate the extend of IFA and symptoms due to volume overload during bipolar transurethral resection (bTUR) and laser procedures of the prostate.

METHODS

We performed a systematic literature search using PubMed, restricted to original English-written articles, including animal, artificial model, and human studies. Search terms were TUR, transurethral, laser, HoLEP, ThuLEP, greenlight, enucleation, fluid absorption, fluid uptake, and TUR-syndrome.

RESULTS

Mean and maximum IFA during bTURP ranges between 133 and 915 ml and 1019 ml and 2166 ml, respectively. Absorption during laser procedures can be significant with maximum values up to 4579 ml and mainly occurs during prostate vaporization techniques. Incidence of moderate to severe symptoms from iso-osmolar volume overload reaches 9%.

CONCLUSIONS

Irrigation fluid absorption during bTUR and laser surgery of the prostate is not negligible. Iso-osmolar overhydration with development of non-classical TUR-syndrome should be identified peri- and postoperatively and surgical teams should be aware of complications. Breath ethanol, venous pH, serum chloride, and bicarbonate could be markers for detecting dangerous events of IFA with saline.

Nomenclature in thulium laser treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: it's time to pull the rabbit out of the hat

We performed a narrative review with the focus on laser settings and surgical procedure with thulium laser. Our primary goal was to define the most valid settings of each surgical procedure to overcome the inconsistency about nomenclature of thulium surgery and to ensure comparability of future publications. A literature search of articles on thulium laser treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) was conducted between 2009 and 2019. We proposed a new classification standard for laser settings and associated surgical procedure. Each article was analyzed and categorized as concordant or discordant referring to the new classification. In total, 74 papers were included in this narrative review. Overall, 43% and 42% of included studies reported discordant laser parameters and surgical description, respectively. Most of the studies on vaporization were categorized as discordant because they reported a medium/low laser setting instead of high power. Conversely, 93.3% of studies on enucleation were deemed as discordant for laser setting because they reported high power parameters instead of medium-low power setting. Most of the studies on laser enucleation and vapo/enucleation were considered discordant for surgical procedure since authors did not mention the use of mechanical vs. laser method for enucleation. The current literature lacks a uniform definition and standardization of the terminology of thulium laser settings and surgical techniques to guarantee comparability between different approaches. We found a huge heterogeneity in 10 years of surgery with thulium laser. We proposed a new classification of laser setting and procedural description for categorization of thulium laser surgery for BPH.

Major Acute Cardiovascular Events After Transurethral Prostate Surgery: A Population-based Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To test the prevalence and predictors of major acute cardiovascular events (MACE) after transurethral prostate surgery (TPS).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (2011-2016) was queried for patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate, photoselective vaporization, or laser enucleation. MACE included: cerebrovascular events, cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, deep venous thrombosis requiring therapy, and pulmonary embolism episodes occurred up to 30 days after discharge. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models tested MACE predictors and effect of MACE on perioperative mortality. Within covariates significant at univariable analyses a stepwise selection, based on Akaike Information Criterion values, was performed to fit the most appropriate multivariable model.

RESULTS

Overall 44,939 patients were included in our analyses. Of these 365 (0.8%) had MACE within 30 days after surgery. The strongest MACE predictors were recent congestive heart failure (odds ratio [OR]: 2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-3.7, P = .007), transfusions (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.5-4.1, P <.001) and preoperative Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome or sepsis (OR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.6-4.2, P <.001). Similarly, inpatient (OR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.6-2.5, P <.001) and nonelective (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1-2.1, P = .012) patients experienced higher MACE rates. Perioperative mortality rates were statistical significantly higher in MACE patients (OR: 13.1, 95% CI: 8.2-21.0, P <.001).

CONCLUSION

Up to 1% of patients undergoing transurethral prostate surgery experience MACE. MACE are burdened by high mortality rates (up to 14% in MACE patients). Proper patient selection and postoperative monitoring are necessary to reduce MACE incidence and mortality rates.

The effect of prostatic tissue density on the perioperative outcomes of Holmium laser enucleation of prostate (HoLEP): a pilot study

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of prostate tissue density (PTD) on perioperative Holmium laser enucleation of prostate (HoLEP) outcomes.

METHODS

Two hundred fourteen patients underwent HoLEP between December 2016 and August 2018 (group 1: PTD < 1 g/mL and group 2: PTD ≥ 1 g/mL). Enucleation time (ET), morcellation time (MT), total operation time (TOT), total laser energy (TLE), efficiency of laser (EL), efficiency of enucleation (EE), efficiency of morcellation (EM), enucleation rate (ER), and enucleated tissue weight (ETW) were recorded.

RESULTS

The mean ages of the groups 1, 2 were 61.36±5.92 and 63.1±7.52 years, respectively. TOT (76.4 vs 86.21 min), ET (69.18 vs 79.94 min), EE (0.80 vs 0.91 g/min), and ETW (55.8 vs 70.23 g) were not significantly different between the two groups. However, the MT was longer in group 2 (11.27 ± 8.57 min and 7.22 ± 5.46 min, p = 0.0001). Furthermore, EM was higher in group 1 (9.81 ± 5.61 g/min and 7.45 ± 4.14 g/min, p = 0.0003). The EL and TLE were similar in both groups. PTD positively correlated with MT (ρ = 0.272, p = 0.0005) and negatively correlated with EM (ρ = - 0.315, p = 0.0001). No correlations were identified between the PTD and EL or EE.

CONCLUSIONS

PTD is a factor that influences the HoLEP on perioperative outcomes. The PTD particularly affects the morcellation phase of the surgery. Patients with higher PTD will have a longer duration of MT and lesser EM. Future studies with the use of different imaging methods will give insight into the duration and difficulty of the HoLEP.

Perioperative major acute cardiovascular events after 180-W GreenLight laser photoselective vaporization of the prostate

BACKGROUND

Major acute cardiovascular events (MACE) prevalence after 180-W GreenLight (180-W GL) laser photoselective vaporization (PVP) have never been explored. Aim of our study is to evaluate perioperative MACE that occurred concomitantly with 180-W GL PVP.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We relied on a multi-institutional database that included 14 centers. Data from 923 patients who underwent 180-W GL PVP were reviewed. We abstracted pre- and perioperative data of patients who experienced perioperative MACE, such as angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, other chronic ischemic heart disease, transient ischemic attack, or cerebrovascular accident as well as deep venous thrombosis with or without pulmonary embolism. We relied on a case-series format to report the main findings of our analyses.

RESULTS

18 (1.9%) patients reported MACE in 7 centers. Median age was 69.5 (IQR 66.0-79.2) years. Of all, 7 patients underwent standard PVP and 11 anatomical PVP. Eleven patients (61.1%) were not under anticoagulant/antiplatelet treatment, 6 (33.3%) were under low dose aspirin, and 1 (5.6%) was under clopidogrel. Four patients (22.2%) had an instrumental and laboratory diagnosis of myocardial infarction, 7 (38.9%) had an episode of angina pectoris with or without rhythm alteration, 3 (16.7%) reported symptomatic deep venous thrombosis, and 4 (22.2%) had other MACE-like events.

CONCLUSIONS

Physician should take in consideration the possibility of MACE or MACE-like events. The real MACE rate may be different as only half of included centers reported MACE. Since the main target of laser surgery are high-risk bleeding patients, prospective observational trials focused on detection of these possible complications are warranted.