30 minutes high energy transurethral microwave thermotherapy (30 minutes TUMT) for the treatment of chronic urinary retention in patients with ASA II-III-IV.

Objective: To investigate if 30-Minutes-TUMT was useful and safe in the treatment of chronic urinary retention due to BOO in patients with ASA II-III-IV.
Material and Methods: 19 patients with chronic urinary retention (mean age 73.5 years) were scheduled for TUMT treatment because of absolute or relative contraindications to surgery. According to ASA classification there were 8 patients ASA II, 9 ASA III and 2 ASA IV. Routinely parameters were studied before and after treatment. Pain and patient's discomfort before, during and after TUMT treatment were registered using the VAS score (visual analogue scale: 0 = no pain and 10 = maximal pain). Urgency, irritation, and "how they feel" were registered at 2 days, 1, 2 and 4 weeks after TUMT using VAS technique.
Results: Mean follow-up was 31,6 months (range 24-47), among the 9 responders patients (47.4%) who void normally without need of catheterisation, one patient died 12 months after the treatment for reasons not connected to the TUMT. Six patients (21.6%) failed the treatment and underwent TURP one or two years later (5 were ASA II and one ASA III). Among the 4 of 19 (21.0%) who had intermittent catheterisation after the treatment two died 1 and 2 years later, one has detrusor instability and one continued intermittent catheterisation. VAS during treatment was: 0 minute = 0.0; 5' = 3.1; 15' = 2.9; 25' = 2.8; 2 h after the treatment = 0.3. At 3 years follow up IPSS, QoL and Qmax were still acceptable. No major complication occurred.
Conclusions: 47.4% of the patients responded positively to the new 30 minutes TUMT removing the urethral catheter, without needing surgical procedure avoiding the operation risk. 68.4% also improved their QoL. Local anaesthesia and oral/intravenous analgesia were sufficient during treatment. TUMT seems to have no anesthesiological risk. It is an option in patients with high risk of operation.