Summary

Background and objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate prostate anaesthetic block for haemodynamic tolerance and quality of analgesia during and after transurethral surgery. Methods: Ninety adult males, ASA III/IV, were randomly assigned to receive a prostate anaesthetic block (n = 45) or spinal anaesthesia (n = 45). The main outcome measurement during anaesthesia, surgery and recovery was haemodynamic tolerance (number of hypotensive episodes, heart rate, systolic and mean blood pressures). Other outcome variables were pain scores during anaesthesia, surgery and every 4 h until 24 h after the end of surgery and amount of oral morphine required during the 24-h postoperative period. Results: Sixty-six patients were ASA III and 24 ASA IV. Ongoing cardiovascular therapies were comparable between groups. All surgical procedures were performed under good conditions. For patients receiving prostate anaesthetic block, the blood pressure and heart rate did not change significantly during the study period. For patients receiving spinal anaesthesia, the hypotension rate was 55.6% (n = 25) compared to 0 in the prostate anaesthetic block group (P < 0.001); 25 and 4 patients, respectively, required vascular filling and additional ephedrine administration. In both groups, all pain scores were <40 (100 mm visual analogue scale) during the study period. Oral morphine was given during the postoperative period to two prostate anaesthetic block patients and four who had received spinal anaesthesia (not significant). Conclusion: Transurethral surgery under prostate anaesthetic block is safe and assures adequate analgesia during and after surgery.