Comparison of mean postoperative decrease in hemoglobin level in patients undergoing transurethral resection of prostate with and without preoperative intraprostatic epinephrine.

Objective: To determine and compare the mean decrease in hemoglobin level from the baseline value in patients undergoing TURP with and without preoperative intraprostatic epinephrine injection. Study Design: Analytical Cross Sectional study. Setting: Department of Urology, Allied Hospital, Faisalabad. Period: Nov 2023 to Feb 2024. Methods: After ERC approval and taking informed consent a total of 40 patients with enlarged prostate and scheduled for TURP, having comparable baseline clinical and laboratory characteristics such as age, preoperative prostate size and baseline hemoglobin were enrolled in the study & were divided in two equal numbered groups called group A and group B, each having 20 patients in it. Before performing monopolar TURP group A patients were given 200mcg of intraprostatic epinephrine injection diluted in 20ml of normal saline (10ml in each right & left lobe) under transrectal ultrasonic guidance via the transperineal route, while no such intervention was done before TURP in group B patients. One pint of whole blood was transfused to the patients of both the groups intraoperatively and blood samples were sent to laboratory on 1st post-operative day to determine the postoperative hemoglobin levels of patients of both the groups. Data was entered on the designated pro forma for analysis. Results: Postoperative hemoglobin levels were significantly higher in group A patients (mean and S.D 11.83 ±1.01 g/dl) as compared to the group B patients (mean and S.D 11.00 ± 1.06 g/dl) with a p value of 0.015, and hence drop of hemoglobin levels from the baseline values were lower in group A patients (mean and S.D 1.28 ± 0.89 g/dl) as compared to the group B patients (mean and S.D 2.31 ± 0.98 g/dl), confirming a statistically significant difference with p value of 0.001. Conclusion: The hemorrhage associated with TURP can be decreased significantly by giving preoperative intraprostatic epinephrine injection. This is a clinically safe technique that can not only reduce the postoperative blood transfusion requirements but can also allow the operating surgeon to resect more tissue within the desired time thus increasing the efficacy of TURP.