Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common urological condition affecting aging men worldwide. Among the treatment options available for BPH, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is the gold-standard invasive intervention. To reduce the TURP-related non-negligible morbidity, loss-of-ejaculation rate, hospitalization, blood loss and catheterization time several laser techniques have been developed, such as the Thulium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (ThuLEP). To investigate the efficacy outcomes of the ThuLEP as a treatment option for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) we performed a retrospective observational study at Moriggia Pelascini Hospital (Como, Italy) between January 2015 and September 2018.
We included 265 patients who underwent ThuLEP at a specific hospital between defined dates. Data on various parameters, including post-void residue volume, peak urinary flow rate (Qmax), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) for urinary symptoms, IPSS Quality of Life (QoL) score, and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score for erectile dysfunction, were collected at baseline and follow-up.
The analysis revealed significant improvements in voiding efficiency, urinary flow, urinary symptoms, quality of life, and erectile function following ThuLEP. Furthermore, certain baseline characteristics, such as post-void residue, peak urinary flow rate, age, prostate volume, and aspirin usage, were found to influence treatment outcomes.
Despite the study's limitations, these findings contribute to understanding ThuLEP's effectiveness in managing BPH and can aid in making informed clinical decisions for patient care. Prospective studies with longer follow-up periods are recommended to validate and extend these results.
Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology. 2024 Jun 26 [Epub ahead of print]
Lorenzo Spirito, Massimo Capra, Carmine Sciorio, Lorenzo Romano, Michele Morelli, Adelio Valtorta, Davide Arcaniolo, Benito Fabio Mirto, Celeste Manfredi, Enrico Sicignano, Federico Capone, Gaetano Giampaglia, Salvatore Iaconis, Luigi Napolitano, Fabio Machiella, Carmelo Quattrone, Vittorio Imperatore, Felice Crocetto
Unit of Urology, Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" Naples, Italy., Urology Unit, 9337 Alessandro Manzoni Hospital , Lecco, Italy., Urology Unit, 89497 Moriggia Pelascini Hospital , Como, Italy., Department of Neurosciences, Science of Reproduction and Odontostomatology, 9307 University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy., Urology Unit, Moscati Hospital, Avellino, Italy.