Effect of Transurethral Resection of the Prostate on Storage Symptoms in Patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia of Less than 30 ml

PURPOSE: Many patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) have not only voiding symptoms but also storage symptoms. Despite the many types of treatment that have been developed for BPH, storage symptoms persist. We conducted an assessment of the efficacy of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and the change in the International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS) storage sub-score after the procedure according to prostate size in patients with BPH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Men aged 50 years or older who had BPH were enrolled in this study. 186 patients were divided into two groups according to prostate size measuring using transrectal ultrasonography: In group 1, prostate size was less than 30 ml (51 patients), and in group 2, prostate size was greater than 30 ml (135 patients). All of the patients underwent TURP. We examined whether the degree of change in the IPSS, voiding symptoms, storage symptoms, and quality of life (QoL) differed before and after TURP and according to prostate size. RESULTS: After three months of TURP, the subjects in both groups showed significant improvement in the IPSS, voiding symptoms, storage symptoms, QoL, and maximum flow rate (p<0.05). The scores for the IPSS, voiding symptoms, storage symptoms, and QoL of group 1 and 2 after three months of TURP were 16.36, 14.25 (p=0.233), 8.21, 8.24 (p=0.980), 8.11, 5.16 (p=0.014), 2.89, and 2.10 (p=0.030), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: TURP is an effective treatment for patients with BPH, regardless of prostate size. However, while the improvement in the storage symptoms of patients with a prostate size of less than 30 ml was not significant, it was in patients with a prostate size greater than 30 ml.