Transurethral resection of prostate under sedation and local anesthesia (sedoanalgesia). Experience in 100 patients.

One hundred male patients (average age 68.2 yrs) with acute retention (n = 20) or with symptoms of outflow obstruction (n = 80) underwent transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) under sedation (midazolam) and local anesthesia (lidocaine)--referred to as sedoanalgesia technique. Procedures lasted twenty-four minutes on average (range 15-35 min), and the weight of prostatic tissue resected ranged from 2-35 g (average 11.1 g). There were no complications related to the use of midazolam or lidocaine. The technique of sedoanalgesia proved safe and acceptable to all patients regardless of their pre-existing medical condition. Where the weight of prostate to be resected is estimated to be less than 40 g, TURP under sedoanalgesia proves an effective alternative to general or regional anesthesia.