We spoke with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Basri Çakıroğlu, Urology Specialist, about benign prostatic enlargement, which affects approximately 25% of men over 40, and the Plasma Kinetic TUR System, the most preferred option due to its reliability in treatment.
Benign enlargement of the prostate, which develops in men with aging, is a disease that makes urination difficult, sometimes completely blocks it, causes the patient to experience severe discomfort, especially pain, and lowers quality of life. Symptoms usually begin after the age of 45-50. A very small portion of patients can live without trouble by taking only certain precautions, while the majority require treatment. Approximately half of the patients who need treatment undergo open or closed prostate surgery.
The gold standard treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), one of the most important problems of aging men, is the closed surgical method known as "TUR." At our hospital, these surgeries are performed using the new "Plasma Kinetic TUR" technology. TUR surgeries can be performed in different ways. In TUR surgeries, the closed method is used: the instrument is inserted through the patient's urethra, and the prostate is cut into pieces with specially designed instruments using an energy source and removed. The energy source used can be monopolar or bipolar. In monopolar systems, electrical current passes through the patient's body. In the bipolar system, however, this is not necessary. The bipolar TUR system used today is the Plasma Kinetic TUR system. This system uses a plasma kinetic energy source, and it has clear advantages over classic monopolar systems.
No electrical current passes through the patient. Therefore, it can be safely preferred even in patients with a pacemaker, without encountering a problem such as the pacemaker being affected by electrical current.
The plasma kinetic method can be safely used not only for prostate surgeries, but also for the treatment of urethral strictures and in bladder cancer surgeries.
Because the prostate tissue is cut more safely and quickly, the duration of surgery is quite short, and because the amount of bleeding is also lower, the catheter and hospital stay are shortened.
With the plasma kinetic method, the tissue removed during surgery can be sent for tissue examination. Since tissue is not removed in other laser surgeries, plasma kinetic treatment is also advantageous in this respect.
In classic TUR surgeries, depending on the fluid used to provide visualization, a problem called TUR syndrome may develop in 1-2% of cases. TUR syndrome is the passage of the fluid used into the body, reducing the amount of sodium in the body. In the plasma kinetic method, the fluid used to provide visualization is physiological saline. Therefore, even if this fluid passes into the body, it does not cause TUR syndrome.
In classic TUR surgeries, there is a possibility of a stricture developing in the urethra or at the bladder outlet after the procedure. In plasma kinetic TUR surgeries, the possibility of a stricture developing is much lower.
