TRANSURETHRAL ULTRASOUND-GUIDED LASER-INDUCED PROSTATECTOMY - A CRITICAL-EVALUATION

We evaluated 38 patients with a follow-up of 30 months after transuret hral ultrasound-guided laser-induced prostatectomy (TULIP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The mean symptom score decreased by 54%, and pe ak urinary flow increased by 112%. For the entire series, 43.6% of the patients had an improved symptom score and 41% better urinary flow, b ut only 28.2% had improvement in both. Six patients (16%) required reo peration, two underwent a radical prostatectomy, and one patient prese nted total urinary incontinence, Also, 19% presented postoperative imp otence, and 47% presented retrograde ejaculation, Although one third o f the patients are improved with the TULIP procedure, the rate of comp lications is significantly higher than for TURF, which remains the mos t effective treatment of obstructive BPH.