Safety and Efficacy of Intravesical Epinephrine Instillation in Patients with Intractable Lower Urinary Tract Hematuria - A Novel Approach

Abstract

Objective: To treat intractable hematuria with intravesical instillation of epinephrine.

Methods: Sixty patients were treated with intravesical instillation of epinephrine at Mackay Memorial Hospital. The control group was composed of 60 patients who were treated with standard-of-care cystoscopic electrocautery fulguration. Under general anesthesia, epinephrine-treated group were injected with 150 mL of diluted epinephrine (1:10,000) through cystoscopy, followed by bladder irrigation with 1:100,000-diluted epinephrine at the ward. Successful hemostasis was defined as hematuria resolution within 1 month post-treatment without additional invasive procedures.

Results: In the 60 patients who underwent intravesical instillation of epinephrine, radiation cystitis was the most common etiology (65.0%). Fifty-two patients (86.7%) required no additional therapy within 1 month after one course of intravesical epinephrine instillation treatment compared with 28 patients (46.7%) in the electrocautery fulguration-control group (P <.001). We observed a significant decrease in both the median length of hospitalization (P = .049) and the need for additional invasive procedures (P <.001) in the epinephrine group. In addition, cardiopulmonary monitoring of mean blood pressure, mean heart rate, and mean respiratory rate demonstrated no significant differences after epinephrine treatment.

Conclusion: In this study, intravesical instillation of epinephrine was an innovative method of hemostasis for intractable lower urinary tract hematuria with a success rate of 86.7%, compared to 46.7% in the control group, and significantly reduced the number of additional procedures required and the length of hospitalization. It was well-tolerated by all patients, and was a safe and effective treatment modality for intractable hematuria or bladder hemorrhage.