The Surgical Experience Influences the Safety and Efficacy of Photovaporization of Prostate with 180-W XPS GreenLight Laser: Comparison Between Novices vs Expert Surgeons Learning Curves

Purpose: To assess the extent to which surgical experience can affect perioperative and functional outcomes after photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) with 180W XPX GreenLight laser in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic obstruction (BPO). Materials and Methods: Data from 291 consecutive patients with symptomatic BPO (median follow-up 12 m) were collected and analyzed. Patients were treated at 2 different institutions by 2 expert (G1, n = 182) and 2 novice (G2, n = 109) transurethral prostate surgeons (February 2013 - March 2017) and underwent standard or anatomical PVP depending on surgeons' preferences. Patients' characteristics, perioperative and functional outcomes were compared using the chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests. Patients' satisfaction was measured using the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) score. Learning curves were analyzed based on changes in quantitative parameters: surgery time, lasing/operative time, and energy delivered (kJ). Results: Patients' baseline characteristics, perioperative data and PGI-I score were similar. Overall the complication rates showed better trends for G1. Serum prostate-specific antigen levels, maximum flow rate, and International Prostatic Symptoms Score improved in both groups, with perceived improvements greater in G2 (p < 0.006). Lasing time/operative time ratio showed greater evolution for G1 than G2 (0.50:IQR 0.38-0.60 vs 0.46:IQR 0.34-0.58, respectively)(p = 0.201). A major increase in energy delivery for G2 was achieved within the first 50 procedures, whereas more than 100 iterations were needed for G1 to reach LT/OT >60%. Conclusion: Surgeons' background and expertise appear to affect outcomes over the learning curve, with roughly similar perioperative and functional results.