British journal of urology
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An increased long-term morbidity rate after transurethral compared with open prostatectomy has recently been claimed on the basis of retrospective studies of operations done up to 20 years ago. These studies have led to a demand for a prospective trial. Most reports show that peri-operative mortality following prostatectomy is virtually confined to unfit men over 80 years old. ⋯ There were no additional deaths in the first 12 months following surgery. Few of these patients would have been considered fit to undergo an open prostatectomy. Any proposed randomised trial would have to exclude such high risk patients until it can be shown that open prostatectomy is equally safe.