HEMATURIA AND CLOT RETENTION AFTER TRANSURETHRAL RESECTION OF THE PROSTATE - A PILOT-STUDY

Objective To determine, prospectively, the effect of clinical factors on the duration of frank haematuria and the incidence of clot retentio n after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Patients and m ethods Seventy-nine men who underwent TURP in a 3-month period were en tered into this study, during which the time to cessation of bleeding and the occurrence of clot retention(s) were recorded over a 4-week pe riod. The effect of other clinical factors (histology, weight of tissu e resected, operative duration, grade of surgeon and resection rate) w as also assessed. Results Gross haematuria ceased in 47%, 73%, 96%, an d 97% of patients at the end of the first, second, third and fourth we eks, respectively. The duration of postoperative bleeding was signific ant ly associated with the weight of tissue resected and the operation time (P<0.001 and <0.05, respectively). Furthermore, five patients we re re-admitted with clot retention, but there was no significant corre lation between the occurrence of this morbidity and any of the other i ndices. Conclusion Postoperative bleeding usually stops within 3 weeks of TURP. This period, which is about half the time hitherto assumed, is directly related to the size of the gland resected and the duration of the procedure, However, the occurrence of clot retention is not si gnificantly associated with the duration of haematuria or any of the o ther clinical factors evaluated. Thus, a high fluid intake is mandator y for 3 weeks after TURP, but men who continue to bleed should be advi sed to continue with a high-fluid regimen until their urine is clear.