Transrectal Ultrasound Guided Prostatic Nerve Blockade Eases Systematic Needle Biopsy of the Prostate

AbstractPurpose: We assessed the effect of transrectal ultrasound guided prostatic nerve blockade on the discomfort associated with systematic needle biopsy of the prostate.Materials and Methods: A prospective randomized double-blind study was performed of 64 patients requiring systematic biopsy of the prostate. Patients were randomly assigned to receive an injection of 5 ml. 1 percent lidocaine or 5 ml. saline (0.9 percent sodium chloride) at the vascular pedicle on 1 side of the prostate only. They were then asked to score the severity of discomfort of the injection and subsequent biopsies on each side.Results: Mean pain scores were significantly lower on the side with than the side without lidocaine injection (1.6 plus/minus 0.9 versus 2.4 plus/minus 1.2, p less than 0.0001) and not significantly different when saline was injected (2.9 plus/minus 1.2 versus 3.0 plus/minus 1.1, p = 0.52). Pain scores were significantly different when the lidocaine injected side was compared to the saline solution inject...