A research team from Italy recently published a report in the Central European Journal of Urology on two patients undergoing transurethral intraprostatic anaesthesia (TUIA) using the Schelin Catheter® (registered trademark of ProstaLund AB) before a holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP)1. The patients also received moderate sedation/analgesia during the procedure.
General or spinal anaesthesia are the most common anaesthetic modalities used during HoLEP, depending on the surgeon's and anaesthesiologist's preference, patient characteristics, comorbidity, and patient choice. However, general anaesthesia can impact postoperative recovery and expose patients to anaesthesia-related complications. To further reduce the invasiveness of HoLEP, the research team evaluate the feasibility, safety, and advantages of the use of TUIA via the Schelin Catheter®.
The authors conclude that preliminary results demonstrate that TUIA via the Schelin Catheter® was safe and feasible, providing effective operative and postoperative pain control while shortening hospitalization and treatment time.