[Comparison of monopolar versus bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate: Evaluation of the impact on sexual function]

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the effects of monopolar transurethral resection of the prostate (M-TURP) and bipolar TURP (B-TURP) on overall sexual function.

Methods: From December 2014 to September 2016, 100 eligible candidates with benign prostatic hyperplasia were prospectively recruited and randomized 1:1 into M-TURP/B-TURP arms (58 and 42 patients, respectively) and followed up at 1, 3 and 6 months. A univariate and multivariate analyses using the chi-squared test and a logistic regression model were performed. We recorded the age, medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, history of smoking, preoperative prostatic volume, prostatic symptoms scale, sexual function assessment, surgeon experience, resected grams, percentage of resected tissue and presence of retrograde ejaculation. Prostatic symptoms and erectile function (EF) assessment were quantified using self-administered IPSS scores and IIEF-5, respectively, at baseline and in each subsequent visit.

Results: Mean age was 66 years (50-82). No statistical differences were found between both groups regarding medical comorbidities, preoperative IPSS and IIEF-5. Mean prostatic volume was 37.2 cm³ (10-68) and mean amount of resected tissue was 11.75g (6-58). At baseline 77,6% of patients has severe LUTS, and 50% has moderate-severe erectile dysfunction. Univariate analyses show that in both groups, history of diabetes mellitus, age and preoperative IIEF-5 were associated with poor EF. However, multivariate analyses revealed that age was the only factor associated with a poor EF. These results were similar at 3 and 6 postoperative months. We did not find an association between surgeon experience, source of energy employed or percentage of resected tissue with the development of postoperative retrograde ejaculation (52%). At first postoperative month, 44% of patients were still referring moderate prostatic symptoms and 50% had severe erectile dysfunction maintained at 6 months in both groups.

Conclusions: There were no differences between the source of energy employed and changes on overall sexual function. Age is the only factor associated with a poor EF status.

Keywords: Benign prostatic hyperplasia; Bipolar transurethral resection; Disfunción eréctil; Erectile dysfunction; Eyaculación retrógrada; Hiperplasia benigna de próstata; Monopolar transurethral resection; Resección transuretral bipolar; Resección transuretral monopolar; Retrograde ejaculation.