A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF BPH-PATIENTS UNDERGOING TURP AS ELECTIVE SURGERY VERSUS THOSE IN ACUTE URINARY RETENTION

Objective: To compare the results of BPH-patients undergoing TURP as earlier elective surgery with those presenting with acute urinary retention (AUR). The factors evaluated included the length of hospitalization, the patients occupation, their duration of symptoms and reasons for not seeking treatment.Material and Methods: A consecutive case, randomized study was carried out form January 2000 to May 2001, including all men admitted with bladder out flow obstruction (BOO) caused by BPH that required TURP.Results: There was no significant difference in the mean age and occupational status of the two groups, but those in AUR had more complications and longer hospital stay after surgery. 60% of these men had their urinary symptoms for more than one year. When asked why they did not seek treatment earlier, 35% reported fear of surgery, while 41% thought that their symptoms were normal part of aging.Conclusion: There is a need to raise the level of public awareness of benign prostatic hyperplasia because those who present with AUR incur excess morbidity and longer hospitalization that could otherwise be avoided through earlier treatment and elective surgery.