Download – Anaesthesia for TURP

TURP is a cystoscopic procedure used to alleviate the symptoms of bladder outflow obstruction, usually caused by benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). BPH affects 50% of males at 60 years and 90% of 85-year-olds and so TURP is most commonly performed on elderly patients, a population group with a high incidence of cardiac, respiratory and renal disease. The mortality rate associated with TURP is 0.2-6%, with the commonest cause of death being myocardial infarction. Safe anaesthesia depends on the detection and optimisation of co-existing diseases, and on weighing up the relative risks and benefits of regional and general anaesthesia for each patient.

Mark Porter and Bruce McCormick