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Is follow‐up necessary after transurethral resection of the prostate?
Author(s) -
Perkins J.M.T.,
O'Brien T.S.,
Hanbury D.C.,
Cranston D.W.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
british journal of urology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 0007-1331
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-410x.1995.tb07420.x
Subject(s) - medicine , transurethral resection of the prostate , prostate , resection , muscle hypertrophy , surgery , general surgery , urology , cancer
Objective To assess the necessity for routine out‐patient review following transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for benign prostatic hypertrophy. Patients and methods One‐hundred and two patients with histologically proven benign prostatic hypertrophy were prospectively reviewed as out‐patients. The views of their general practitioners were established by postal questionnaire. Results At their first out‐patient review 94 of 102 (92%) patients were discharged and only 2% (2/102) patients remained under review after 1 year. Apart from routine urine analysis, only four additional investigations were initiated at the routine clinical assessment. One patient was listed to undergo prostatic surgery again following the post‐operative out‐patient review. Over the next 16 months only three patients (3%) were re‐referred with further urological problems. Confidence in a system without routine hospital outpatient review was expressed by 90% of general practitioners and 78% of patients. Conclusion Follow‐up after TURP cannot be justified in terms of the perceived therapeutic benefit to patients. Patients should be discharged to the community and be assessed rapidly in out‐patients if and when problems arise.