Treatment for Benign Prostatic Obstruction: Transperineal Laser Ablation

September 14, 2026 updated by: Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari

Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Transurethral Prostate Resection (TURP) and Echolaser Soractelite-Transperineal Laser Ablation (TPLA ) in Patients With Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Due to Benign Prostatic Obstruction

THIS STUDY IS A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL COMPARING TRANSURETHRAL PROSTATE RESECTION (TURP) AND ECHOLASER SORACTELITE-TRANSPERINEAL LASER ABLATION (TPLA) IN PATIENTS WITH LOWER URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS DUE TO BENIGN PROSTATIC OBSTRUCTION. THE PRIMARY GOAL IS TO SHOW THE NON-INFERIORITY OF TPLA VERSUS TURP BY IPSS-SCORE.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
80

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Italy
    • ITALY/Bari
      • Bari, ITALY/Bari, Italy, 70124
        • Recruiting
        • UOC Urologia e Trapianti di Rene Policlinico di Bari
        • Contact:
      • Bari, ITALY/Bari, Italy, 70124
        • Active, not recruiting
        • UOC Urologia e Trapianti di Rene Policlinico di Bari

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Lower urinary tract symptoms (IPSS >= 8);
  • Poor efficacy after at least six months of medical therapy or intolerance to medical treatment for BPH;
  • Prostate volume: 40ml-80ml;
  • Ability to give informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Previous surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia;
  • Indwelling bladder catheter or intermittent bladder catheterization;
  • Diagnosis of bladder stones;
  • Recurrent urinary tract infections or intraprostatic abscesses;
  • Severe detrusor hypocontractility or acontractility;
  • Hydronefrosis due to urinary retention;
  • Urethral strictures or diagnosis of neurogenic bladder;
  • Diagnosis of bladder cancer;
  • Diagnosis or clinical suspicion of prostate cancer.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Other: TPLA
Patients underwent TPLA tretment
Procedure: ECHOLASER-TPLA
transperineal laser ablation of prostatic adenoma, by transrectal ultrasound guide.
Other Names:
  • TPLA
Other: TURP
Patients underwent TURP tretment
Procedure: TURP
Transurethral resection of prostate, by uretrocistoscopy approach.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Symptomatology Improvement by International Prostate Symptoms Score (PSS-SCORE)
Time Frame: one, three, six, twelve months after treatment
After 3,6 and 12 months of follow-up International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire will be administered to all participants to evaluate changes in subjective symptoms and quality of life (Lower IPSS values indicate an improvement in the symptoms reported by the patient). The IPSS ranges from 0 to 35, with scores interpreted as follows: 0-7 indicates mild symptoms, 8-19 indicates moderate symptoms, and 20-35 indicates severe symptoms
one, three, six, twelve months after treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in the maximum urinary flow rate at Uroflowmetry (Qmax)
Time Frame: Differences among preoperative status versus 6, 12 months after treatment
Uroflowmetry will be conducted to assess improvements in urinary maximum flow (Qmax: ml/sec). Differences among preoperative status versus 6, 12 months after treatment
Differences among preoperative status versus 6, 12 months after treatment
Change in Ejaculatory function as assessed by the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire - Ejaculatory function domain (MSHQ-EJD)
Time Frame: Differences among preoperative status versus 3, 6, 12 months after treatmente, three, six, twelve mounth after treatment
To assess the impact of the procedures on anterograde ejaculatory function, we will use the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire - Ejaculation Disfunction (MSHQ-EJD). Higher scores reflect better ejaculatory function, with the questionnaire ranging from 0 to 15. Additionally, a final question, scored from 0 to 5, assesses the difficulty experienced by the patient during ejaculation. For this specific question, higher scores correspond to greater levels of difficulty reported (0: no difficulty, 5: extremely bothered).
Differences among preoperative status versus 3, 6, 12 months after treatmente, three, six, twelve mounth after treatment
Changes in Post Void Residual (PVR)
Time Frame: Differences among preoperative status versus 3, 6, 12 months after treatment
Uroflowmetry will be conducted to assess improvements post voided residual (PVR: ml). Milliliters will be used to report PVR
Differences among preoperative status versus 3, 6, 12 months after treatment
Changes in Sexual Funtion
Time Frame: Differences among preoperative status versus 3, 6, 12 months after treatment

To assess the impact of the procedures on penile erection, we will use the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF5) questionnaire.

The questionnaire hasn't got units of measurement; they are expressed in absolute numbers. Higher IIEF5 values indicate better erectile function.

The IIEF-5 score ranges from 0 to 25. Scores of 22 to 25 indicate normal erectile function, while scores of 17 to 21 suggest mild erectile dysfunction. Scores between 12 and 16 indicate mild-to-moderate dysfunction, 8 to 11 moderate dysfunction, and scores below 7 indicate severe erectile dysfunction
Differences among preoperative status versus 3, 6, 12 months after treatment
Change in NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) score
Time Frame: Differences among preoperative status versus 3, 6, 12 months after treatment
Total NIH-CPSI score ranging from 0 to 43, assessing pain, urinary symptoms, and quality of life. Higher scores indicate worse symptoms.
Differences among preoperative status versus 3, 6, 12 months after treatment
Change in Pelvic Pain and Urgency/Frequency (PUF) score
Time Frame: Differences among preoperative status versus 3, 6, 12 months after treatment
Pelvic Pain and Urgency/Frequency (PUF) questionnaire score (0-35), higher scores indicate worse symptoms.
Differences among preoperative status versus 3, 6, 12 months after treatment
Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) value
Time Frame: Differences among preoperative status versus 3, 6, 12 months after treatment
PSA will be reported by combining nanograms and milliliters (ng/ml).
Differences among preoperative status versus 3, 6, 12 months after treatment
Postoperative complications
Time Frame: up to 3 months
The Clavien-Dindo classification categorizes complications related to a surgical procedure on a scale from 1 to 5. The severity of the complication increases with higher Clavien-Dindo scores.
up to 3 months
Length of hospital stay
Time Frame: From hospital admission to discharge at three days (up to three days)
Duration of hospitalization measured in days from admission to discharge.
From hospital admission to discharge at three days (up to three days)
Duration of urinary catheterization
Time Frame: From catheter insertion to catheter removal at seven days (up to seven days)
Time (in days) from placement of the urinary catheter to its removal.
From catheter insertion to catheter removal at seven days (up to seven days)
Operative time
Time Frame: During the surgical procedure (day 0)
Duration of the procedure measured in minutes
During the surgical procedure (day 0)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
July 14, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 25, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 25, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 4, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 4, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
December 17, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 14, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • TPLA-2023

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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