Open benign prostatectomy

Abstract

Open prostatectomy for the treatment of bladder outlet obstruction is rarely performed today because of the advances in technique of transurethral prostatectomy and anesthesia and α-blocker medical therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Nevertheless, the urological surgeon must be familiar with the indications and techniques for performing open prostatectomy. The main techniques for performing open prostatectomy consist of the transvesical suprapubic prostatectomy and simple retropubic prostatectomy. Today, indications for open prostatectomy consist mainly of situations of failed medical therapy for BPH as well as situations in which the urologist considers transurethral surgery to be of increased risk to the patient compared with open prostatectomy (Table 32.1). © 2006 Humana Press Inc.