Measurement of Procedure-Specific Irrigation-Fluid Absorption in Transurethral Therapy of Lower Urinary Tract Syndrome, Using Ethanolic Saline and Breath Alcometry

Urol Int. 2016;97(3):299-309. doi: 10.1159/000445694. Epub 2016 Apr 19.

Abstract

Introduction: Transurethral resection risks excessive absorption of irrigating fluid with potentially severe or life-threatening consequences. We determined the amount of absorbed saline irrigation fluid during photoselective vaporisation of the prostate (PVP) and bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate (bTURP).

Patients and methods: Patients at our institution treated by one of these methods were monitored by the alcometric method: ethanol is added to the irrigation fluid and blood alcohol is measured with a breathalyser. Various possible correlations were investigated.

Results: Data from 71 patients (36 PVP, 35 bTURP) were analysed. Detection of any absorption was more frequent under bTURP (71% of patients) than under PVP (39%; p = 0.006). Absorption in the volume range 500-1,000 ml was conspicuously more frequent in the bTURP procedure than in PVP.

Conclusions: Presence of absorption was more frequent under bTURP than under PVP. However, high-volume absorption was more frequent during bTURP than in PVP.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Absorption, Physiological*
  • Aged
  • Breath Tests
  • Ethanol / pharmacokinetics*
  • Humans
  • Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / metabolism*
  • Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / surgery*
  • Male
  • Prospective Studies
  • Prostatic Hyperplasia / complications
  • Prostatic Hyperplasia / metabolism*
  • Prostatic Hyperplasia / surgery*
  • Sodium Chloride / pharmacokinetics*
  • Therapeutic Irrigation
  • Transurethral Resection of Prostate / methods*

Substances

  • Ethanol
  • Sodium Chloride