Article

It has been suggested that cognitive impairment may occur following transurethral resection of the prostate ( TURP) operations due to the effects of anaesthesia or hyponatraemia or both. The aim of the study was to investigate whether TURP was associated with long-term memory complaints or cognitive impairment. Method: Patients who had received a TURP or transurethral resection of a bladder tumour (TURT) in the previous 10 months were sent a questionnaire on memory problems and mood. Seventy-six TURP patients and 38 TURT patients returned the completed questionnaires. A sample of each patient group ( 30 TURP, 29 TURT) was assessed on standardized tests of cognitive abilities. Results: There was no significant difference between the TURP and TURT patients on the Everyday Memory Questionnaire completed by themselves or by a family member (p>0.05). On formal cognitive testing there were no significant differences between the groups, except on the overall grading of the Kendrick Assessment Scales of Cognitive Ageing, in which TURP patients performed at a significantly lower level than TURT patients. Conclusions: The results suggest that patients are no more likely to complain of memory problems following a TURP than with any other operative procedure. There was a slight difference in cognitive abilities but this did not indicate significant impairment of cognitive function.

Langue : ANGLAIS