The Impact of COVID-19 on the Management of BPH: How Can We Manage the Backlog of Patients?

Authors: Chughtai B, Cutone B, Alshak M, Mafilios M*, Bhattacharyya SK and Elterman DS

DOI: 10.23880/jqhe-16000183

Volume 3, Issue 5

Abstract

It is estimated that more than 30 million elective surgical procedures were cancelled during the initial 12-week peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, causing an unprecedented backlog of operations in hospitals worldwide. In order to manage this backlog while minimizing in-hospital viral transmission, providers can prioritize elective procedures that use fewer operative services or can be performed outside the hospital setting. We examined physician operative service times for seven surgical techniques for managing benign prostatic hyperplasia and found that minimally invasive surgical techniques take substantially less operative time than more invasive surgical procedures and also offer the option of an entirely out of hospital procedure. As physicians manage the backlog of BPH elective surgeries that were canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, surgical recovery plans should consider BPH procedures that minimize overall operative time in order to reduce the risks of exposing patients to perioperative or iatrogenic COVID-19 infection.

Keywords: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia; Minimally Invasive Surgical Techniques; Water Vapor Therapy; Surgical Time; Covid-19; Elective Surgery

View PDF