Trends in the Use of Neuraxial vs. General Anaesthesia for Transurethral Resection of the Prostate

Objective: Historically, neuraxial anaesthesia (NA) was preferred for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) to allow monitoring for TURP syndrome, but modern surgical techniques have largely eliminated this risk. We aimed to characterise trends in anaesthesia utilisation for TURP over a 15-year period and to identify patient factors associated with anaesthetic technique selection. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing primary TURP using the ACS-NSQIP database (2009-2023). Multivariable logistic regression identified predictors of the use of general anaesthesia (GA) versus NA. Subgroup analyses examined trends by patient health status and age. Results: =0.005). Conclusion: The anaesthetic management of TURP has evolved over the last 15 years, and GA has further solidified its status as the dominant modality. This evolution likely reflects the diminished risk of TURP syndrome, allowing practice to be driven by airway control and efficiency rather than by historical safety constraints.