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Although transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is an effective treatment for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), it has disadvantages, including blood loss and requisite multiday hospitalization. Minimally invasive surgical BPH treatments, such as transurethral microwave thermotherapy, transurethral needle ablation, and laser coagulation, reduce prostate volume through delayed tissue necrosis and generally involve shorter inpatient stays. In this meta-analysis of 22 randomized controlled trials (involving 2434 men with BPH), U.K. investigators compared the effectiveness (at 12 months after surgery) of minimally invasive treatments versus TURP.
Needle ablation was significantly less effective than TURP in improving mean…