Anesthesiology research and practice
In-Office, Urologist-Administered Propofol Sedation for Prostate Biopsies: Outcomes From 205 Cases
By Umbehr MH, Poyet C, Raguz Nakic Z and 3 others.
Abstract
Background
Propofol sedation (PS) administered by nonanesthesiologists has been demonstrated as safe across various medical disciplines, yet its in-office use in urology remains limited. Prostate biopsies are typically performed either under local anesthesia or anesthesiologists-administered anesthesia, including sedation and general anesthesia. Both approaches are associated with well-recognized limitations such as patient discomfort and substantial resource requirements, contributing to the slow transition from the transrectal to the transperineal approach for prostate biopsy. PS administered directly by urologists could potentially overcome these barriers.
Methods
In this study, a standardized, urologically performed and supervised PS workflow for prostate biopsies was established and interdisciplinarily implemented. Consecutive patients undergoing MRI/ultrasound fusion-guided prostate biopsy were retrospectively analyzed. Procedures were initially performed transrectally and subsequently expanded to the transperineal approach. Outcomes include descriptive analysis of sedation- and biopsy-related complications and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), biopsy access route, and utilization of anesthesia and operating room resources.