Background: Transvesical (open) prostatectomy is an operation method that has been performed less frequently during the last decades. Most documentation of the method is old, and few young urologists become experienced with the method.
Material and methods: From 1994 to 2003, 66 patients underwent open prostatectomy at our department. We have reviewed all patient records retrospectively, and sent questionnaires to the patients who are still alive.
Results: . Mean operation time of patients with benign symptom-giving prostate enlargement was 88 min, blood loss during the operation was 917 mL and 50% of the patients received blood-transfusions during hospitalisation. 9% needed surgical re-intervention during the first 30 days. The time to removal of the post-operative catheter was 7.2 days and post-operative hospitalisation lasted for 8.4 days. The median weight of enucleated prostate adenomas was 107 g and carcinoma(s) were incidentally found for 4 patients (7%). 42/48 (88%) patients were content or very content with urination, when answering the questionnaires. Five patients had variable degrees of urinary incontinence after the treatment.
Interpretation: Open prostatectomy is a complicated procedure with high rates of perioperative bleeding- and reintervention, but low rates of perioperative mortality. Most of the patients have a good long-term effect, but more patients were affected by urinary incontinence than we expected. These patients should be followed more closely.