Measurement of Procedure-Specific Irrigation-Fluid Absorption in Transurethral Therapy of Lower Urinary Tract Syndrome, Using Ethanolic Saline and Breath Alcometry.

INTRODUCTION: Transurethral resection risks excessive absorption of irrigating fluid with potentially severe or life-threatening consequences. We determined the amount of absorbed saline irrigation fluid during photoselective vaporisation of the prostate (PVP) and bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate (bTURP).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients at our institution treated by one of these methods were monitored by the alcometric method: ethanol is added to the irrigation fluid and blood alcohol is measured with a breathalyser. Various possible correlations were investigated.

RESULTS: Data from 71 patients (36 PVP, 35 bTURP) were analysed. Detection of any absorption was more frequent under bTURP (71% of patients) than under PVP (39%; p = 0.006). Absorption in the volume range 500-1,000 ml was conspicuously more frequent in the bTURP procedure than in PVP.

CONCLUSIONS: Presence of absorption was more frequent under bTURP than under PVP. However, high-volume absorption was more frequent during bTURP than in PVP.