New Prostate Biopsy Technique May Eliminate Post-Biopsy Infection Rate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW PROSTATE BIOPSY TECHNIQUE MAY ELIMINATE POST-BIOPSY INFECTION RATE

Cumberland, MD (March 16, 2016) – Up to 4% of men who have had prostate biopsies are hospitalized for post-biopsy infections, as reported by the 2014 American Urology Association Quality Improvement Summit. The conference also noted that doctors have questioned whether the risk of post-biopsy sepsis may be greater than the benefits of early prostate cancer detection. This growing concern about post-biopsy infection highlights the importance of the new, transperineal prostate biopsy technique published by Dr. Matthew Allaway and colleagues in the March issue of Urology Practice.

Traditional prostate biopsy technique punctures the rectum, risking potential infection. Publications have documented a growing prevalence of infection and, further, of antibiotic-resistant infection, post-biopsy over the past 10 years. The rate of post-biopsy sepsis has also grown.

As reported in “Freehand Transperineal Ultrasound-Guided Prostate Biopsy: An Alternative to the Transrectal Approach” by Drs. Matthew Allaway, Jeffrey Mullins, and Michael DiBianco (Urology Practice, March, 2016), the transperineal technique spares the rectum while maintaining access to the areas of the prostate considered important to cancer screening. The paper discusses a single site experience of 274 procedures. This observational study reported no post-biopsy infections, urinary retention, hematuria, or pain requiring physician or hospital intervention following the transperineal procedure. Ten percent of the positive cancer detections were in patients who had previously received negative transrectal biopsies. Additionally, transperineal biopsy resulted in reduced procedural time and facility usage time.

Dr. Allaway said, “Prostate biopsies remain essential in prostate cancer screening, but our ability to manage these patients is hampered by the growing concern about antibiotic-resistant infections. We look forward to future studies which will further investigate the safety and diagnostic value of the transperineal approach.”

The full paper, “Freehand Transperineal Ultrasound-Guided Prostate Biopsy: An Alternative to the Transrectal Approach”, is available at http://www.urologypracticejournal.com/article/S2352-0779(15)00134-X/abstract?elsca1=etoc&elsca2=email&elsca3=2352-0779_201603_3_2_&elsca4=Urology. For more information, please visit www.perineologic.com.

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