Update on the current evidence for Tm:YAG vapoenucleation of the prostate 2014.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the current role of thulium vapoenucleation of the prostate (ThuVEP) for the treatment of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO).

METHODS: A Medline search for randomized trials, case series, and comparative studies being published since the initial description of the ThuVEP procedure (2009-2014) was performed to assess the safety, the perioperative morbidity, the efficacy, and the durability of the technique.

RESULTS: A total of 14 peer-reviewed original articles, seven case series [level of evidence (LOE) 4] and seven comparative studies (LOE 3b), have been identified. ThuVEP has been shown to be a size-independent, safe, efficacious, and durable procedure for the treatment of BPO in large, prospective, and retrospective series (LOE 4/3b). The feasibility and safety of the ThuVEP procedure has also been confirmed in patients at high cardiopulmonary risk on oral anticoagulants (LOE 4). It has also been demonstrated that the erectile function is not impaired by the ThuVEP procedure (LOE 4). However, published ThuVEP series are from very few centers of excellence not exceeding a LOE of 3b. Randomized controlled trials comparing ThuVEP with standard procedures for the treatment of BPO, namely transurethral resection of the prostate, open prostatectomy, or holmium laser enucleation of the prostate, have not been published so far.

CONCLUSIONS: ThuVEP appears to be a size-independent, safe, efficacious, and durable procedure for the treatment of BPO (LOE 4/3b). Multicentric PRT are however needed to define the current role of ThuVEP in the armamentarium of minimally invasive transurethral surgery of the prostate.