1986 Volume 77 Issue 10 Pages 1631-1636
Consecutive 1, 686 prostatectomies including 1, 416 transurethral, 111 suprapubic and 159 retropubic prostatectomies done at 8 National Hospitals were studied. Bleeding increased with weight of the resected prostatic tissue in both transurethral and open surgery. The amount of bleeding was closely related with the weight, not with the time of surgical procedure. It was certified by the fact that large prostates were associated with the increasing bleeding/time ratio. The best way to prevent the massive bleeding from large prostates was to choice open retropubic procedure. Transurethral prostatectomy was followed by the shortest catheter drainage and hospital stay, even in cases with large prostate. Prophylactic vasectomy prevented post-operative epididymitis in all but one exceptional case. Although no surgical death was recorded, 5 gastrointestinal bleeding, 2 cardiac infarctions and one cerebral infarction occurred in their post-operative course. Three of them and additional 5 cases died during their hospital stay. Cardiac failure was the main cause of death in the latter cases.
