Microwave surgical treatment of the prostate: clinical application of microwave surgery as a tool for improved prostatic electroresection.

Microwave surgery as a tool for improved prostatic electroresection is introduced. Prior to electroresection the prostate was coagulated with 2,450 MHz of microwave which was emitted from the bipolar electrode of a specially designed probe. We conducted a comparative study of 35 patients with bladder neck obstruction. There was a microwave coagulation group treated with subsequent transurethral resection (TUR) and a conventional TUR group. Both groups were analyzed for the amount of blood loss, irrigant absorption and the frequency of complications. Both during and following surgery, the former group had a significant reduction in blood loss and had no complications. We conclude that the combination procedure of microwave coagulation and TUR can minimize the disadvantage of formal TUR and may be of value in the treatment of patients with both prostatic obstruction and of hemorrhagic diathesis as well as in high risk patients.