Abstract
INTRODUCTION: To compare the surgical outcomes of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) and robotic single-port transvesical enucleation of the prostate (STEP) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) during early adoption at a single center. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data about consecutive BPH patients who underwent HoLEP and STEP at our Center from July 2023 to September 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Both procedures were performed by surgeons at the beginning of their experience with the procedures. RESULTS: Thirty HoLEP and 20 STEP cases were included in the analysis. STEP patients had larger prostate volume (median 101.5 vs 78.5 cc; p = 0.003). Median operative time was longer for STEP (286 vs 124 min, p <0.001). Median catheterization time was shorter for HoLEP (3 vs 7 days, p <0.001). Transient post-operative incontinence was higher for HoLEP (31% vs 5.3%, p = 0.032). There was no difference in median length of stay (30 hours for HoLEP and 31 hours for STEP; p = 0.108). CONCLUSIONS: Both HoLEP and STEP can be safely implemented for the minimally invasive treatment of BPH. Each of the procedures presents some appealing features that can be tailored to different subgroups of patients. HoLEP is appealing for higher surgical risk patients, while STEP allows to effectively manage larger glands even at the beginning of the surgeon's learning curve. As experience with SP robotic surgery matures, it is likely that STEP becomes a competitive alternative to the well-established HoLEP.