Change in intraoperative rectal temperature influencing erectile dysfunction following transurethral resection of the prostate

Background/Purpose: In this study, we assessed the relationship between changes in intraoperative rectal temperature and erectile function in patients who have undergone transurethral resection of the prostate. Methods: Eighty-six potential patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia-induced lower urinary tract symptoms were studied. Patients were divided into two groups: group 1-small prostates (<40. ml) and group 2-large prostates (≥40. ml), as determined by transrectal ultrasound measurement. The intraoperative rectal temperature was evaluated using a transrectal thermosensor and the differences between the highest intra- and preoperative temperatures were recorded. The erectile function at baseline, at three months and at one-year postoperatively was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) questionnaire. Results: Intraoperative rectal temperature differences were 0.54. ±. 0.24. °C for group 1 (n. =. 45) and 0.44. ±. 0.20. °C for group 2 (n. =. 41), (. p=. 0.04). The IIEF-5 scores for group1 and group 2 were, respectively, 20.9. ±. 1.6 and 20.6. ±. 1.6 at baseline (. p=. 0.32), 17.3. ±. 2.9 and 18.7. ±. 3.2 (. p=. 0.037) at 3 months, 17.9. ±. 2.7 and 18.7. ±. 3.0 (. p=. 0.17) at 1 year postoperatively. The deterioration of erectile function at 3 months post-operatively was observed for both groups. The percentage of retrograde ejaculation between two groups was not significantly different (. p=. 0.33) at 1 year postoperatively. Conclusion: Our study revealed that a higher intraoperative rectal temperature difference caused by transurethral resection of the prostate might affect the postoperative erectile function, particularly in patients with a small prostate.