Patient tolerance of transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy of the prostate.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the acceptability by patients of ultrasound-guided prostatic biopsy without anaesthesia.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From January 1995 to January 1996, 81 patients in our department undergoing transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy were asked to assess the tolerability of the procedure using an immediate post-operative questionnaire including a 10 cm linear visual analogue scale (VAS).

RESULTS

The mean VAS score was 3 (standard error 0.24) and 16% of the patients had a VAS score of > or = 5. Responses to the questionnaire showed that 6% of patients judged that the procedure should have been performed under general anaesthesia, while 19% would not agree to undergo it again without some form of anaesthesia.

CONCLUSIONS

Even when anaesthesia-free, transrectal ultrasound-guided prostatic biopsy was felt to be only mildly uncomfortable by most patients, but 19% judged that it should be accompanied by some form of anaesthesia. Consequently, local anaesthetic techniques to enhance tolerance to this type of intervention without sacrificing the advantages of the current out-patient setting should be reassessed.