Appropriate indications for prostatectomy in the UK--results of a consensus panel.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The use of formal consensus development to determine appropriate indications for prostatectomy and to identify factors underlying clinical decisions about appropriateness is described. DESIGN: A nominal group technique was used. SETTINGS: The study took place in an academic research institution. PARTICIPANTS: The panel consisted of six urologists and three general practitioners. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The panel identified agreed indications for prostatectomy, expressed in terms of different combinations of type of retention, type and severity of symptoms, and level of comorbidity. Agreement was reached for 67% of the indications considered. For acute on chronic retention, surgery is indicated, regardless of symptom severity, if life expectancy is greater than one year. For acute or chronic retention, surgery is generally indicated if symptoms are severe, or if symptoms are moderate and life expectancy is greater than five years. For patients with neither acute nor chronic retention, surgery is indicated if symptoms are severe, or if these are moderate and life expectancy is greater than five years. For chronic or acute retention surgery is inappropriate if symptoms are mild and life expectancy is less than one year, or if there is no retention and only mild symptoms. An "appropriateness score" was developed. This confirmed that in general the ratings were internally consistent, that the panel attached little weight to mild symptoms, that a combination of irritative and obstructive symptoms was no more indicative of surgery than obstructive symptoms alone, and that the type of symptom was less important than the other factors considered. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide a basis for population based surveys of the need for prostatectomy.