Objectives: To assess the change of storage symptoms (SS) and their impact on quality of life in men undergoing thulium:YAG laser enucleation of the prostate (ThuLEP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Materials and Methods: BPH patients requiring surgery were prospectively evaluated (April 2019-October 2020). Inclusion criteria: International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) ≥8, maximum urinary flow rate ≤15 mL/s, and urinary retention. Exclusion criteria: previous urethral/prostatic surgery, pelvic irradiation, bladder/prostate cancer, neurogenic bladder, concomitant transurethral surgery, and active urinary tract infection. IPSS, International Continence Society-Overactive Bladder (ICIQ-OAB) and International Continence Society-Overactive Bladder Quality of Life (ICIQ-OABq) scores were gathered before surgery and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results: In total, 117 men were included. Mean age was 68.0 ± 7.7 years. Mean prostate volume was 86.6 ± 34 cc. Mean IPSS subscore was 8.7 ± 3.1 and 11.7 ± 4.7 for storage and voiding symptoms, respectively. Mean ICIQ-OAB was 29.1 ± 16.8. Mean ICIQ-OABq was 80.3 ± 30.6. Voiding IPSS decreased 72.8% at 1 month, whereas the reduction of storage IPSS was 38.0%. ICIQ-OAB decreased 49.6% at 1 month. ICIQ-OABq showed a 30.0% reduction. One year after surgery, the reduction of voiding IPSS was 94.8%, ICIQ-OAB 85.5%, storage IPSS 76.7%, and ICIQ-OABq 60.5%. Urge incontinence was present in 26.5% of men at 1 month, 15.4% at 3 months, and 4.3% at 6 months. Four (3.4%) patients complained of urge incontinence 12 months after surgery. Conclusion: Both storage and voiding lower urinary tract symptoms significantly decreased after ThuLEP, but storage symptoms showed less reduction with a significant impact on patients' quality of life, particularly during the first 3 months.
Keywords: benign prostatic hyperplasia; lower urinary tract symptoms; overactive; quality of life; thulium:YAG laser enucleation of the prostate; urge; urinary bladder; urinary incontinence.