The use of cooled irrigating fluid for transurethral prostatic resection.

Forty patients selected for transurethral prostatic resection (TUR) were randomly allocated to one of 2 groups. Irrigating fluid used in the first group of 20 patients was cooled to a constant 8 degrees C; in the second group fluid at ambient temperature was used. Measurements were made of the volume of irrigating fluid used and haemoglobin loss during and after operation; the weight of resected tissue and its histological appearance were also studied. The core temperature of each patient was monitored throughout the operation. Significantly less irrigating fluid was used in the group receiving cooled fluid. Although per-operative and post-operative haemoglobin loss was also markedly reduced in this group, the difference failed to achieve statistical significance. The clarity of the operative field was considerably improved by the use of cooled fluid.