OUTPATIENT TRANSURETHRAL RESECTION OF THE PROSTATE AT A UROLOGICAL AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTER

Transurethral resection of the prostate has been the standard treatmen t for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, and it has tradition ally required 2 to 7 days of hospitalization. Since 1991 we performed outpatient transurethral resection of the prostate at a urological amb ulatory surgery center on 125 select patients. Standard resection tech niques were used with particular attention to hemostasis, since bladde r irrigation was stopped before patients were discharged home. Transfe r to a hospital was required for 3 patients because of hematuria, 1 fo r fever and suspected bacteremia, and 1 for cardiac dysrhythmia. No pa tient required hospitalization after he was discharged from the ambula tory surgery center. Outpatient transurethral resection of the prostat e can be performed safely with excellent patient satisfaction and cost -effectiveness. Alternative treatment modalities for benign prostatic hyperplasia should be evaluated against outpatient transurethral resec tion of the prostate before they are broadly embraced.