Transurethrale

Transurethral refers to procedures or interventions performed through the urethra, the tube that conveys urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. In urology, transurethral methods are typically endoscopic, meaning instruments are inserted via the urethral opening and guided into the bladder or prostate with the aid of a camera and irrigation.

Common transurethral procedures include transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), used to treat urinary obstruction from benign prostatic hyperplasia by removing sections of prostatic tissue. Transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP) involves making small incisions rather than removing tissue. Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) is performed to diagnose and treat bladder tumors by resecting abnormal tissue. Other transurethral techniques include fulguration or ablation of tissue, laser-based procedures, and transurethral biopsies, with cystoscopy or resectoscopy guiding the instrument through the urethra.

Techniques typically involve a small endoscope (such as a cystoscope or resectoscope) inserted into the urethra, with irrigation fluid to visualize the operative field. Procedures may use electrical current, laser energy, or mechanical resection to remove or destroy target tissue. These methods aim to minimize invasiveness and shorten recovery compared with open surgery, although they carry risks such as bleeding, infection, urinary retention, urethral stricture, and, depending on the procedure, erectile or ejaculatory changes.

The term transurethral thus encompasses a range of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions conducted through the urethra, including cystoscopic assessment, tissue biopsy, tumor resection, and tissue ablation, across various urinary tract conditions.