[Serious and unexpected complications of benign prostatic obstruction surgery: Results of the LUTS Committee survey from urologists of the French Urological Association]

Abstract

Purpose: Rare and severe complications of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) surgery are poorly documented in the literature. Our purpose was to make an inventory of severe and unexpected complications of BPH faced by urologists of the French Association of Urology (AFU).

Material and methods: A declarative 13-question survey was sent by e-mail 2 months before the 108th French Congress of Urology to the urologist's members of the AFU. Complications were split in complications due to material and complications directly related to the surgery.

Results: Overall, 216 (16.2%) urologists surveyed but only 85 forms were usable. Complications related to the material was divided into: excessive temperature of the serum irrigation leading to urethral and bladder burns (n=5), material default leading to interruption of the procedure (n=1) or incomplete hemostasis (n=2) and endoscope rupture (n=1). Peroperative complications related to surgery were divided into surgical complications: haemorrhage (n=7), urethral wounds (n=6), perforation and/or explosion (n=16), rectal wounds (n=11), obstructive renal failure (n=1); and medical complications: TURP syndrome (n=2), cardiovascular (n=5) and septic shock (n=6).

Conclusion: This is the first French declarative study having allowed the identification of severe and unexpected complications of BPH surgery. The recorded occurred complications were very eclectic and secondary to all types of techniques used.

Keywords: Benign prostatic obstruction; Chirurgie; Complications; Hyperplasie bénigne de la prostate; Laser; Lasers; Résection transurétrale de la prostate; Surgery; Transuretral resection of the prostate.