Assessment of Discomfort and Pain in Patients Undergoing Fusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging-guided vs TRUS-guided Prostate Biopsy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate patient pain perception from receiving magnetic resonance imaging fusion-guided prostate biopsy (FBx) in addition to transrectal ultrasound-guided template biopsy (TBx) vs pain from standard TBx alone.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients undergoing FBx + TBx or TBx alone from April 2016 to February 2017 completed a validated pain survey after biopsy. Responses were graded from 0 to 10 (0: no pain or willing to return for repeat procedure; 10: excruciating pain or not willing to return for repeat procedure if necessary). Procedures were performed by a single urologist with a 1% lidocaine periprostatic nerve block. Pain scores between groups were compared via Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS: A total of 170 patients were included, with 96 FBx + TBx and 74 TBx. For FBX + TBx and TBx, mean age was 68.6 (±9.7) and 66.1 (±8.3) (P = .08), and median number of cores was 14.5 (8-22) and 12 (6-14) (P < .001), respectively. Both groups had mild pain from the procedure overall (median pain score 3 [range 0-9]), the probe insertion (2 [0-8]), and the biopsies themselves (3 [1-10]). If necessary, both groups were very willing to come back for the same procedure again (1 [0-10]).

CONCLUSION: Patients reported no difference in pain or discomfort with FBx + TBx relative to TBx alone. Both procedures were mildly painful with patients very willing to return for repeat biopsy if necessary. Patients' pain experience should not influence whether additional FBx is performed.