Transurethral needle ablation for chronic nonbacterial prostatitis

K. C. Lee, P. B. Jung, H. S. Park, J. H. Whang, J. G. Lee

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18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) of the prostate for treating chronic nonbacterial prostatitis unresponsive to conservative therapies. Patients and methods: Forty-two patients (mean age 38.5 years, range 25-52) with nonbacterial prostatitis in whom clinical management was unsuccessful in relieving the symptoms or signs of prostatitis were treated using TUNA. All patients had a high leukocyte count (> 15 per high-power field) in expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) with no bacterial growth in either urine or prostatic secretion cultures. Before TUNA all patients were evaluated using a symptom score, satisfaction score (quality of life) and an examination of prostatic secretions. All patients were reassessed using the same variables 1 and 3 months after TUNA. Of the 42 patients, 10 had their semen analysed before and 3 months after treatment. Results: The mean (SD) symptom and satisfaction scores improved significantly, from 11.02 (2.90) to 5.00 (2.61) and from 4.84 (0.57) to 1.26 (1.18), respectively, 3 months after TUNA (both P < 0.05). Of the 42 patients, 30 (71%) had normal EPS results within 3 months of TUNA. Also, of 37 patients with high leukocyte counts (> 100 per high-power field) before TUNA, 26 (70%) had normal EPS results within 3 months afterward, and 29 (78%) had a satisfaction score of < 3 points. Conclusions: TUNA may be a possible treatment option for patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis that is unresponsive to conservative therapies. A long-term follow-up and randomized studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of the TUNA against intractable chronic prostatitis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)226-229
Number of pages4
JournalBJU International
Volume89
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2002
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis
  • Prostate
  • Satisfaction
  • TUNA

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Urology

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