Bipolar button-electrode plasma vaporization of the prostate: An effective option for patients with post-brachytherapy retention

Abstract

Urinary retention is a common urinary complication following brachytherapy for prostate cancer. When conservative therapy has failed, surgical intervention, such as transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), is performed. In the present case, it was found that conventional bipolar TURP was an inappropriate choice of therapy, since the electrical loop could easily rupture and discharge sparks when encountering the seeds intraoperatively; however, bipolar button-electrode plasma vaporization of the prostate was proven to be a much safer technique. The ‘button-type’ electrode, which has a larger contacting surface, was firm enough to tolerate the transient high levels of energy generated by the short circuit and enable the safe completion of the procedure.

Prostate volume reduction following pure transurethral bipolar plasma vaporization and conventional transurethral resection of the prostate: a prospective investigation using transrectal 3D ultrasound volumetry

“…It has been shown that BPV is a low morbidity procedure with functional short-to mid-term results comparable or even superior to conventional transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) [3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. However, long-term results following BPV, which are needed to prove the durability of symptom improvement and eventually non-inferiority compared to conventional TURP are lacking.…”