Urinary and sexual function changes in benign prostatic hyperplasia patients before and after transurethral columnar balloon dilatation of the prostate

Abstract

Background: Transurethral columnar balloon dilatation of the prostate (TUCBDP) is a new surgical treatment, but its efficacy remains controversial because of limited clinical application.

Aim: To investigate the clinical effect of TUCBDP for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Methods: Overall, 140 patients with BPH who underwent surgical treatment were included in the study. A random number table was used to divide the participants into study and control groups (n = 70 per group). The study group underwent TUCBDP. The prostate resection surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, bladder irrigation time, catheter indwelling time, length of hospital stay, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), maximum urine flow rate (Qmax), residual urine volume (RUV), changes in the International Erectile Function Score (IIEF-5) score, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), quality of life (QOL) score, and surgical complications were compared in both groups.

Results: The operation time, intraoperative blood loss volume, bladder flushing time, urinary catheter indwelling time, and length of hospital stay were significantly lower in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the IPSS, Qmax, and RUV measurements between the study and control groups (P > 0.05). However, at 3 mo post-surgery, the IPSS and RUV measurements were both lower (P < 0.05) and Qmax values were higher (P < 0.05) compared to the pre-surgery results in both groups. The IIEF-5 scores before and 3 mo after surgery were not significantly different between the study and control groups (P > 0.05). At 1 mo after surgery, the IIEF-5 score was higher in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The serum PSA levels and QOL scores before treatment and at 1 and 3 mo after treatment were not significantly different between the study and control groups (P > 0.05). However, lower serum PSA levels and QOL scores were observed after 1 and 3 mo of treatment compared to pre-treatment levels in the study group (P < 0.05). The surgical complication rate of the study group (4.29%) was lower than that of the control group (12.86%; P < 0.05).

Conclusion: TUCBDP for BPH and transurethral resection of the prostate can achieve better results, but the former method is associated with less surgical trauma.

Keywords: Benign prostatic hyperplasia; Lower urinary tract symptoms; Quality of life; Sexual dysfunction; Transurethral columnar balloon dilatation of the prostate; Transurethral resection of the prostate.

Figure 1

Intraoperative photographs of a patient. A, B: Patients undergoing cystoscopy before transurethral columnar balloon dilatation of the prostate with an obvious urethral stricture; C, D: Patients with an unobstructed urethra after undergoing cystoscopy.