Necessity of routine histopathological evaluation subsequent to bladder neck contracture resection

INTRODUCTION Bladder neck contracture is a well-known complication following some urologic surgical procedures. Regardless of the surgical procedure, any specimen resected should be submitted for histopathological evaluation worldwide. However, the charges of histopathological evaluation may bring a heavy burden to the hospital and health care system. Also, waiting the period of the pathological evaluation process can be an anxious time for patients. Hence, we aimed to investigate the necessity of routine histopathological evaluation of bladder neck contracture bladder neck contraction specimens. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients undergoing bladder neck contraction resection, from 2010 to 2015 were identified. Patient demographics, type of surgery and histopathological diagnosis and cost of histopathological analyses of the specimens were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS Findings of the histopathologic evaluations of 340 bladder neck specimens were reviewed. Out of these, 294 had underwent transurethral resection of the prostate, 38 open prostatectomy, and 8 radical prostatectomy. Evidence of malignant disease involving prostate cancer was present in only 2 specimens. Both of the specimens had a known preexisting history of malignant disease. The remaining 338 specimens showed chronic inflammation (n = 176), chronic active inflammation (n = 64), adenomatous hyperplasia (n = 78) or cystitis (n = 20). CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that routine histopathological examination of bladder neck contraction specimens is clinically unnecessary. We recommend that the surgeon should decide the need for histological examination on individual basis, depending on known preoperative risk factors.