[Acceptability and safety of transrectal prostatic 8-core biopsy].

The safety of sextant prostate biopsy has already been documented since the end of the 90's. As a higher efficacy of biopsy has been proved when increasing the number of samples taken, we have tried to assess the safety and tolerability of prostatic 8-core biopsy. From January to December 2001, 204 patients, aged between 50 and 88 (average 70) with a PSA between 0.74 and 196 ng/ml (10 +/- 9.25), underwent in 8-core prostate biopsy. After biopsy, the patients were given an oral antibacterial for 3 days. After taking the samples, patients were interviewed about the tolerability of the biopsy, and especially about the following: I. A feeling of irritation (77 patients, 37.7%); 2. A slight pain (72 patients, 35.29%); 3. A moderate pain (32 patients, 15.68%); 4. Intense pain (23 patients 11.27%). After 20 days all patients came back and were interviewed again about possible complications (biopsy was Ca positive in 86 cases, 42.15%). 153 patients (75%) reported a slight hematuria for an average period of 5 days; 88 patients (43.13%) showed slight anal-rectal hematic discharges, mainly after defecation efforts. It was never necessary to hospitalize any patients because of complications. 71 patients (34.8%) reported a perineal pain which disappeared after 24-48 hours. 175 patients reported having had an ejaculation after biopsy and 158 (90.2%) of them showed hematospermia. 4 patients (2%) had a short period temperature and only 2 (0.98%) were hospitalized for hyperpyrexia with symptoms of genitourinary sepsis. It has been proved that TR prostate biopsy is almost exclusively followed by minor complications, major ones being an exception. A biopsy with more than six samples (8-10-12) shows a higher number of minor complications (hematospermia and hematuria). The fact that a higher number of samples proves this method to be significantly more suitable, pays off all the problems. Also, such a casistics makes us think that prostatic 8-core biopsy is generally well tolerated (73% of patients reported either irritation or slight pain) and fairly safe, as complications are mainly minor ones. We must therefore underline the suitability, good tolerability and safety of the TR prostatic 8-core biopsy.