Is Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate Truly Size-Independent? A Critical Evaluation at the Extreme Ends of the Spectrum.

To assess the outcomes of Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP) at the extremes of the size spectrum, comparing whether the results are consistent for very large and small prostates.

A retrospective review of 402 patient charts was conducted to compare the outcomes of HoLEP in patients with prostate size < 40 g (Group 1), 41-200 g (Group 2), and > 200 g (Group 3).

Various preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative variables were collected.

HoLEP showed comparable voiding outcomes among all three groups, although patients with small prostates had a higher International Prostate Symptom Score during follow-up (p=0.022). We noted a higher rate of perioperative blood transfusion in patients with very large prostates (p=0.019) and a higher rate of transient acute urinary retention (AUR) in Group 1 when compared to Group 3 (p=0.048). Patients with smaller prostates had a higher rate of bladder neck stenosis and urethral strictures, but the differences were not found to be statistically significant. The incidence of other complications, length of hospital stay, and catheterization duration did not differ significantly among the groups.

HoLEP has consistent and safe outcomes across a wide range of prostate sizes. Although, the risk of blood transfusion is higher in patients with very large prostates and the risk of transient AUR is greater in patients with small glands, the overall efficacy and safety of HoLEP are not significantly influenced by prostate size.

Urology. 2023 Sep 14 [Epub ahead of print]

Joao G Porto, Ruben Blachman-Braun, Carlos Delgado, Mohamadhusni Zarli, Ryan Chen, Tarek Ajami, Robert Marcovich, Hemendra Shah

Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, USA., School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico., Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, USA., Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, USA. Electronic address: .

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