Background: Ultra-minimally Invasive Surgical Techniques (uMISTs) play an increasingly significant role in treating benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) as an alternative to both medical therapy and surgery. Transperineal laser ablation of the prostate (TPLA) is an uMIST that has shown its efficacy in symptom relief and improvement of urodynamic parameters while sparing ejaculatory function and having a low risk of complications. This is the 3-year follow-up of a pilot study on TPLA.
Methods: TPLA was performed using the SoracteLite™ system. It consists of ablating prostate tissue through a diode laser, eventually causing prostate volume reduction. We recorded International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), uroflowmetry parameters, the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire (MSHQ-EjD), and prostate volume at baseline and after 3 years. The Wilcoxon Test was employed to compare continuous variables.
Results: Twenty men completed a 3-year follow-up after TPLA. The median prostate volume was 41.5 mL (IQR: 40.0-54.3). Preoperative median IPSS, Q<inf>max</inf>, and MSHQ-EjD were 18 (IQR: 16-21), 8.8 mL/s (IQR: 7.8-10.8), and 4 (IQR: 3-8). TPLA showed significant improvement in IPSS (-37.2%; P<0.01) and Q<inf>max</inf> (45.8%; P<0.01); median MSHQ-EjD improvement was by 60% (P<0.01) and median prostate volume reduction was by -20.4% (P<0.01).
Conclusions: This analysis shows that TPLA maintains satisfactory results within 3 years. Therefore, TPLA confirms its role in the treatment of patients unsatisfied or intolerant to oral therapies but not eligible for surgery to avoid impact on sexual function or due to anesthesiologic contraindications.