Cryoprostatectomy: A Follow-up Study with Special Reference to Long-term Results

Sixty-four men who underwent cryoprostatectomy between 1966 and 1968 were re-examined after an average postoperative period of 28 months.A subjectively satisfactory result was obtained in 84% of the series. Micturition difficulties were unimproved or were worse in 10% and re-operation because of recurrent obstruction was necessary in 6%.The average reading for spontaneous maximum urinary flow was normal at the follow-up examination.In 73% of the patients the urine was free from infection at follow-up. Persistent infection had no demonstrable connection with disturbance of flow.Recurrence of obstruction could be attributed to incompleteness of the primary operation and not to re-growth of hyperplastic tissue.Incorporation of transurethral resection did not increase the radicality of cryoprostatectomy as judged from urinary flow values.In view of the satisfactory long-term results, cryoprostatectomy can be advocated as a useful addition to the conventional choice of therapeutic measures in pro-static obstruction.