Sterile water as an irrigating fluid for transurethral resection of the prostate: anesthetical view of the records of 1600 cases.

OBJECTIVE

Absorption of the fluid used for bladder irrigation during transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) may disturb the circulatory system and lead to clinical symptoms known as the transurethral resection syndrome. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in electrolytes in patients who had undergone TURP.

METHODS

For all the cases with benign prostatic hypertrophy enrolled in the present study, TURP was performed as recommended in Miller's Anesthesia, the sixth edition. Sterile water was used as an irrigating fluid for bladder washing. Laboratory tests were performed before and immediately after the surgery.

RESULTS

No statistically significant changes were reported in the serum sodium, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and hematocrit. The most common complications were hypotension (8.3%), hypertension (7.8%), nausea (6.4%), and vomiting (2.8%). Hyponatremia, decreased hematocrit, and increased blood urea nitrogen/creatinine were rarely reported (2.5, 1.0, and 0.9%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Sterile water has been shown to be a safe irrigating fluid for TURP.