The TUR-P Method, which is used as one of the active treatment methods in prostate enlargements, is used especially in cases where the disease passes the initial levels and reaches moderate or more severe stages.
The TUR-P Method, which is a frequently used method, is the method that can be preferred in almost all cases of benign prostate enlargement.
What is TUR-P?
The prostate, which is found only in men and is located in the pelvis, is to protect the urethra and for this it is located between the penis and the bladder. The enlargement of the prostate causes pressure in the bladder and urethra, as well as strain during urination. In cases where drug treatment does not work, the TUR-P method can be applied to alleviate the symptoms that occur. TUR-P is a closed and minimally invasive operation without any incision.
In Transurethral Prostate Resection, that is, in short, TUR-P method, which is based on cutting the excess prostate tissues, the excess prostate tissues are cut and the prostate is left in a smooth form. In addition to removing excess prostate tissue during this operation, complications due to prostate enlargement can also be eliminated. As a matter of fact, the conditions that occur in the lower urinary tract and cause discomfort are also eliminated. These conditions, which occur in the lower urinary tract, are usually: Very frequent urination, sudden urge to urinate, urinating too much at night, or burning, pain and straining while urinating. Recovery time in this operation is much faster than in prostate surgeries performed surgically.
Which Symptoms Can Be Eliminated With TUR-P?
The most basic symptoms that can be eliminated with the TUR-P method are frequent urination or the need to urinate especially at night. At the same time, the difficulty in urinating is largely eliminated. With the TUR-P application, benign prostatic enlargement can be treated on the one hand, and other parts affected by the enlargement can also be treated.
Other symptoms that can be eliminated with TUR-P are:
- bladder stones,
- Deformations in the kidney,
- Prostate cancer.
Especially in the case of prostate cancer, since cancerous tissues may be removed, the low quality of life caused by cancerous tissues will also be alleviated.
How is TUR-P Made?
Before the TUR-P operation, patients may need to take a break from blood thinners under the control of a doctor. Since an anesthetic will be applied at the same time, patients should stop their food intake 6 to 8 hours beforehand. In addition, stopping smoking is important for the success of the operation. The steps followed during the TUR-P operation are as follows:
- Depending on the patient’s condition and physician preference, the patient is placed under spinal or general anesthesia,
- A special instrument called a resectoscope goes along the urethra and reaches the bladder by passing the urethra.
- Thanks to the light and camera on this special instrument, all images are projected onto the screen and the surgeon’s procedure is performed on this screen,
- There are apparatuses on the resectoscope that create a high-frequency electric current and thus cut the excess prostate tissue,
- After the excess prostate tissue is cut with these apparatus, it is taken out again through the urinary canal,
- It may be necessary to use a catheter during the application and for a few days after the application if necessary.
Since the operation is performed through the urinary canal, no incision is required. So the healing process is much faster.
Differences Between Bipolar TUR-P and Monopolar TUR-P
The TUR-P process can be performed using different energy sources. As a matter of fact, there are two different types of TUR-P methods, Bipolar and Monopolar. The differences between these two methods are as follows:
- One uses monopolar, that is, conventional energy, and the other uses bipolar energy,
- In the bipolar TUR-P method, electrical energy is directed between two parallel wires, wire loop and wire filling,
- Surrounding tissue damage is much less in the bipolar TUR-P method,
- In the bipolar method, isotonic saline is used as the washing solution, so risks such as TUR syndrome or dilutional hyponatremia are minimized.
In both procedures, a catheter is placed in the bladder to ensure continuous flushing of the urinary tract with sterile solution, both to drain the urine and to prevent blood clotting. The catheter is removed from the bladder after 1 to 3 days.
What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of the TUR-P Method?
As with every method, there are some advantages and disadvantages in the TUR-P method. The prominent advantages of the TUR-P method are that it is a widely used and reliable procedure, shorter hospital stay, and optimal long-term improvement of the emerging complaints.
In addition to the above advantages of the TURP method, the disadvantages that may occur, although rare, are as follows: The risk of bleeding, the risk of urethral stricture, also called urinary tract stricture, the risk of retrograde ejaculation or retrograde ejaculation, and the risk of urinary retention, also called inability to urinate. In addition to all these, there is a low rate of urinary tract infection and a very low risk of urinary incontinence.