Contemporary Prostate Biopsy Complication Rates in Community-Based Urology Practice

Objectives To evaluate whether the increased number of rectal perforations associated with contemporary transrectal ultrasound-guided, 12-core prostate biopsy, with a periprostatic block, is associated with a greater rate of postprocedural complications. Methods We prospectively studied 1000 patients undergoing contemporary transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy and compared the rates of complicated urinary tract infection and significant rectal bleeding with the rates in our previous report of complications using a then-standard, 6-core biopsy technique, without a periprostatic block. Results Three patients developed complicated urinary tract infections, two of which were with ciprofloxacin-resistant organisms. This was not a significant different statistically from our earlier report. Seven patients had significant rectal bleeding requiring endoscopic intervention. This rate also was not significantly different statistically from our earlier report. Conclusions Our infection and rectal bleeding complications associated with contemporary transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy were low. We experienced a small, nonstatistically significant, increase in the complicated urinary tract infection rate and a small, nonstatistically significant, increase in the rectal bleeding rate in association with the transition from an eight-core, no periprostatic block, technique to the contemporary technique.