Clinical outcomes following transurethral laser ablation with topical versus general or spinal anesthesia for non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer: A Japanese single-center pilot study

TULA under topical anesthesia for selected NMIBC patients was associated with shorter post-treatment hospital stays and a catheter-free recovery. Early oncologic outcomes, including short-term RFS, seem promising; however, these preliminary, pilot-scale findings warrant further validation in larger studies. TULA with topical anesthesia may provide perioperative advantages compared with procedures performed under general or spinal anesthesia, particularly in older patients or those with significant comorbidities.