Risk Of Retreatment Research Articles

Factors associated with the longevity of resin composite restorations

This study investigated factors associated with the longevity of resin composite restorations, which were placed in 97 patients (mean age of 58 years) by 24 dentists in Nagasaki University Hospital between 1995 and 2005. All patients were under the charge of the principal investigator (SK) and most of them had been regularly checked up for up to 11 years. A total of 503 resin composite restorations (433 by SK and 70 by the other dentists) were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier and the Cox proportional hazards model. Ten-year survival rates were 84.2% for SK and 71.8% for the others, showing a significant difference. Although the retreatment risk had a great influence on the survival time, gender and age at placement did not have. There were no significant differences in survival between conventional 2-step etch-and-rinse, 2-step self-etch adhesives with and without prior enamel etching. Cavity type had a significant influence, whereas tooth type had no effect.

Temporal distributions of respiratory disease events within cohorts of feedlot cattle and associations with cattle health and performance indices

Bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC), the most common cause of post-weaning disease in North American beef cattle, is a multifaceted process involving pathogen, host, environment, and management factors. Although the importance of describing and evaluating the timing of BRDC cases has been recognized, a formal analysis of the temporal patterns of BRDC has not been described in the literature. Our objectives were to classify within-cohort temporal patterns of BRDC cases during the first 100 days at risk, using operational data from commercial feedlots, and then to evaluate associations among temporal patterns and common cohort-level measures of feedlot performance and health, while controlling for common potential confounders. We used retrospective cohort-level and individual animal health data (2000–2008) from 10 U.S. feedlots. We defined cumulative distributions representing the timing of cases within cohorts using the daily percentage of cases relative to the total number of cases within a cohort. Ward's hierarchical clustering method was used to group cohorts exhibiting similar cumulative distributions of BRDC cases. Linear mixed models and generalized estimating equations then were used to determine associations between temporal patterns and economically important measures of cattle performance (mean daily weight gain, total days on feed, and carcass measures) and health (mortality risk and retreatment risk) outcomes, while accounting for possible confounding variables (gender, arrival month, arrival year, arrival weight, arrival risk classification, cumulative morbidity, and the feedlot itself). Cluster analysis identified seven different cohort-level temporal patterns of BRDC cases. Our independent variable of interest (temporal pattern) was associated with mean daily weight gain, total days on feed, and carcass weight, and the estimated effects were modified by arrival weight category and risk classification. Temporal patterns also were associated with USDA measures of carcass yield and quality that largely affect carcass price. We also found associations among temporal patterns and health outcomes (cumulative mortality and retreatment risk), and these effects were significantly modified by arrival weight and cumulative morbidity. Our results are the first to demonstrate that there are several temporal patterns of BRDC repeatedly observed among cohorts of feedlot cattle, and that these BRDC patterns may differentially affect cattle health and performance.

Hairy cell leukemia

Historically, the first treatment choices for hairy cell leukemia (HCL) were splenectomy and alpha-interferon. Recently, purine analogues (pentostatin and cladribine) changed radically the treatment modality, inducing complete and durable responses in the majority of patients. The authors analyzed the outcome of different lines of therapy in 121 HCL patients followed in their institute from 1986 to 2008, with a median follow-up of 105 months. Patients were divided into subgroups according to the number of treatments; Group A included 121 patients who underwent a front-line therapy, Group B patients (n =53) were treated with 2 lines, Group C patients (n = 34) with 3 lines, Group D patients (n = 17) with 4 lines, and Group E patients (n = 8) with 5 lines. In Group A, 92 (77%) patients obtained a complete response (CR), 23 (18%) a partial response, and the remaining 6 (5%) a minor or no response; median duration of response was 2.7 years. In Group B, 53 relapsed patients achieved a second CR rate of 73.5%; median duration of response was 2.5 years. Group C contained 34 patients in a second relapse, with a CR rate after the third line of treatment of 70.5% (median duration of response, 2.2 years). In Group D, 11 (64.7%) patients obtained a CR (median duration of response, 1.6 years), and in Group E 4 (50%) of 8 patients achieved a CR (median duration of response, 1.3 years). This study confirms the high risk (>40% of all patients) of retreatment of HCL patients and the need to maximize primary response.

1899 LONG-TERM RETREATMENT AFTER URETEROSCOPIC LASER LITHOTRIPSY DEPENDS ON EFFECTIVENESS OF INITIAL FRAGMENT CLEARANCE

You have accessJournal of UrologyStone Disease: SWL, Ureteroscopic or Percutaneous Stone Removal IV1 Apr 20101899 LONG-TERM RETREATMENT AFTER URETEROSCOPIC LASER LITHOTRIPSY DEPENDS ON EFFECTIVENESS OF INITIAL FRAGMENT CLEARANCE Penny Tatman, Andrew Heinisch, Mark Laliberte, Caroline Dietz-Carlson, and Andrew Portis Penny TatmanPenny Tatman More articles by this author , Andrew HeinischAndrew Heinisch More articles by this author , Mark LaliberteMark Laliberte More articles by this author , Caroline Dietz-CarlsonCaroline Dietz-Carlson More articles by this author , and Andrew PortisAndrew Portis More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2010.02.1853AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy (URS) is an effective method for clearing moderate volume stone burden. In long-term follow-up, we examine retreatment rates and explore prognostic factors. METHODS All patients treated by flexible URS with laser lithotripsy for upper tract calculi by a single surgeon with a standardized technique attempting complete fragment clearance between 04/2003 and 05/2005 were identified. Combining chart review and computer record review, details of procedures and outcomes were collected. RESULTS A total of 239 renal units in 227 subjects were evaluated. Multiple calculi were treated in 43% of renal units. Excluding renal units with nephrocalcinosis, the average number of stones was 1.7±1.2. Stones were located in the proximal ureter (42%), lower pole (38%), and renal non-lower pole (54%). Predominant stone composition was calcium oxalate (68%), calcium phosphate (21%), uric acid (9%), or cystine (1%). Computed tomography (CT) was performed approximately 1 month after surgery in 181 (76%) renal units and categorized as stone free (49%), <2mm (22%), 2-4mm (19%), >4mm (10%). Mean follow-up was 3.8±1.3 years. Future ipsilateral procedures were performed in 28 (12%) patients at an average of 1.2±1.2 years. Retreatment was greater in renal units with multiple calculi (17% vs 7%, p=0.02) and nephrocalcinosis (25% vs 10%, p=0.02). There was no difference in retreatment by stone volume, location or composition. Cumulative retreatment rate (CRR) at 5 years was associated with size of residual fragments with stone free (5.7%), <2mm (5.3%), 2-4mm (20.5%), and >4mm (44.4%) (p<0.001, figure 1). Cox regression demonstrated that patients with > 2mm residual fragments were 4.6 times more likely to be retreated than stone-free patients after adjustment for stone number and nephrocalcinosis. There was no increased risk of retreatment for patients with ≤2mm residual fragments compared to stone-free. After adjustment for residual fragments, neither multiple stones nor nephrocalcinosis increased risk of retreatment. CONCLUSIONS Patients with residual fragments < 2mm on postoperative CT following URS can expect long-term freedom from retreatment. Residual fragments > 2mm were associated with higher retreatment rates. St. Paul, MN© 2010 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 183Issue 4SApril 2010Page: e738 Peer Review Report Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2010 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Penny Tatman More articles by this author Andrew Heinisch More articles by this author Mark Laliberte More articles by this author Caroline Dietz-Carlson More articles by this author Andrew Portis More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Defining the Risk of Retreatment for Aneurysm Recurrence or Residual after Initial Treatment by Endovascular Coiling: A Multicenter Study

Defining the Risk of Retreatment for Aneurysm Recurrence or Residual after Initial Treatment by Endovascular Coiling: A Multicenter Study

Effect of combined treatment with sub-Tenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide and photodynamic therapy in Japanese patients with age-related macular degeneration

To evaluate the benefit of the combination of a single sub-Tenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide (STTA) with photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Japanese patients. The medical records of 111 eyes of 111 patients were reviewed retrospectively. Forty-five eyes underwent combined treatment with STTA and PDT, and 66 eyes underwent PDT alone. Time to vision loss, defined as a change of 0.3 or more logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) units, and time to retreatment were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. Cox regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratios for those end points to investigate clinical risk characteristics. Patients who underwent combined STTA with PDT had a significantly lower risk of retreatment than did those who underwent PDT alone (hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.36-0.99). This beneficial association was found only in patients without polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) lesions. However, combined treatment with STTA and PDT had no beneficial effect in reducing visual loss when compared with treatment with PDT alone. Combined treatment with STTA and PDT had a beneficial effect in reducing retreatment of AMD in Japanese patients. Those who had PCV lesions did not benefit from this additional treatment.

DEFINING THE RISK OF RETREATMENT FOR ANEURYSM RECURRENCE OR RESIDUAL AFTER INITIAL TREATMENT BY ENDOVASCULAR COILING

Endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms is less invasive than surgical repair but poses a higher risk for aneurysm recurrence, which may necessitate retreatment, thus adding to the long-term risk. Cerebrovascular neurosurgeons from 8 institutions in the United States and Puerto Rico collaborated to assess the risk of retreatment for residual or recurrent aneurysms after the initial endovascular coiling. Data were prospectively recorded for 311 patients with coiled intracranial aneurysms who underwent 352 retreatment procedures after angiographic or clinical recurrence (hemorrhage after initial coiling). Results analyzed included procedural complications and procedure-related morbidity. Morbidity was classified as major (modified Rankin scale score > 3) or minor, and temporary (<30 days) or permanent (>30 days). Retreatment mortality was 0.85% per procedure and 0.96% per patient. Treatment-related rates were 0.32% per patient (0.28% per procedure) for permanent or temporary major disability; 1.29% for permanent minor disability (1.14% per procedure); and 1.61% for temporary minor disability (1.42% per procedure). Total risk for death or permanent major disability was 1.28% per patient and 1.13% per procedure. Retreatment poses a low risk for patients with recurrences of intracranial aneurysms after initial coiling; this risk is smaller than that posed by the initial endovascular therapy. The risk of disability associated with retreatment for aneurysm recurrence after coiling must be considered prospectively in the choice of treatment but with the recognition that its effects are low in the overall management risk.

REPEATED ENDOVASCULAR COIL OCCLUSION IN 350 OF 2759 INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSMS

Evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of endovascular retreatment of intracranial aneurysms with detachable coils.Retrospective analysis of clinical outcome as well as angiographic studies both before and after coil retreatment. The indication for retreatment was based on either inadequate occlusion after previous treatment or recurrent perfusion of the aneurysm.A total of 2759 intracranial aneurysms in 2360 patients were treated by endovascular coil occlusion. Of those, 350 (12.3%) aneurysms underwent a second treatment, and 94 (3.4%) aneurysms underwent three or more treatment sessions. The second treatment sessions were performed an average of 27.2 months after the previous procedure. The third and following treatment sessions were conducted an average of 25.3 months after the previous procedure. Initial treatment resulted in 100% occlusion in 63.7% of aneurysms. One hundred percent occlusion was achieved in only 46.9% of the second and 35.2% of the third and following sessions. Stent-assisted coil treatment was used in 5.6% of initial, 28.0% of second, and 20.7% of third and following sessions. Initial treatment sessions were uneventful in 83.2% of cases, second sessions in 86.9% of cases, and third and following sessions in 87.6% of cases. The morbidity-mortality rate for 495 retreatment sessions was 2.2% (n = 11).The natural course of aneurysm remnants or recurrent aneurysm perfusion after coil treatment is not completely understood. The low risk of bleeding from partially filled aneurysms must be balanced against the procedure-related risks of retreatment. Great caution is recommended for the treatment of asymptomatic recurrent aneurysms.

Three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiography at 3 T compared to digital subtraction angiography in the follow-up of ruptured and coiled intracranial aneurysms: a prospective study

Since digital subtraction angiography (DSA) carries a low risk of morbidity, and is associated with patient discomfort and higher cost, our objective was to determine whether high-resolution 3-D time-of-flight MR angiography (TOF-MRA) at 3 T may replace DSA in the follow-up of patients after coiling of an intracranial aneurysm. This prospective study included 50 consecutive patients with a ruptured and subsequently coiled intracranial aneurysm. All patients were followed up at a mean of 14 months after coiling with DSA and high-resolution 3-D TOF-MRA at 3 T generating 0.02 mm3 isotropic voxels. One examiner used DSA and TOF-MR angiograms to assess the need for and risk of retreatment; these data were used to calculate intermodality agreement. Another two examiners independently assessed aneurysm occlusion by DSA and TOF-MRA according to the Raymond scale; these data were used to calculate interobserver agreement. Discrepancies between DSA and TOF-MRA were found in three patients (intermodality agreement kappa=0.86). While DSA indicated complete aneurysm occlusion, TOF-MRA showed small neck remnants in the three patients. Coils on all DSA projections obscured these three neck remnants. Interobserver agreement was higher for DSA (kappa=0.82) than for TOF-MRA (kappa=0.68), which was in part due to the complexity of the information provided by TOF source images and reconstructions. 3-D TOF-MRA at 3 T is not only an adjunctive tool but is ready to replace DSA in the follow-up of patients with previously coiled intracranial aneurysms. Additional DSA may only be performed in complex and not clearly laid out aneurysms.

Orthodontic Space Opening in Patients with Congenitally Missing Lateral Incisors

To determine the best time to begin orthodontic treatment for patients scheduled for implants to replace congenitally missing upper lateral incisors. The aim of timing is to maximize the amount of bone available for implant insertion and to improve incisors inclination. Seventy-three plaster casts of 14 patients with 26 missing lateral incisors were cross sectioned in the center of the planned insertion of the implant, and the implant profile was projected into the area at three different times: T1--beginning of orthodontic treatment, T2-- end of orthodontic treatment, and T3--implant insertion. Deficiency of alveolar ridge volume needed for implantation was determined by Leica Quin analySIS software. An increase of ridge-volume deficiency from 0.26 mm(2) at T1 to 3.77 mm(2) at T3 was found. During orthodontic treatment the incisors protruded about 9.4 degrees (differing from the O1-NA standard of 7.5 degrees ). To ensure optimal esthetic and functional implantation results, time management concerning orthodontic treatment has to be done carefully. To avoid a high degree of alveolar bone atrophy and the risk of relapse and retreatment, orthodontic treatment involving tooth movement should not be initiated before the age of 13 years. Furthermore, it is important to maintain anchorage of the upper incisors because high incisor proclination causes extra-axial stress on the implant. An interdisciplinary approach is essential to provide the best treatment outcome.

Durability of 30-Minute High-Energy Transurethral Microwave Therapy for Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Study of 213 Patients With and Without Urinary Retention

To evaluate the durability of transurethral microwave therapy (TUMT) Prostasoft 3.5 for the treatment of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia treated with the 30-minute protocol. A total of 213 patients (45 with urinary retention) were treated with TUMT Prostasoft 3.5. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QOL) score, and maximal flow rate (Qmax) were assessed at baseline and at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months of follow-up. The overall mean follow-up period was 33.9 months, with a maximum of 65 months. Patients without retention had significant improvement (P <0.0001) in the Qmax for up to 4 years (from 8.5 to 13.2 mL/s). The mean IPSS had decreased significantly from 20.3 to 12.2 at 5 years (P <0.0001). Similarly, the mean QOL score improved significantly during follow-up (P <0.0001). In the retention group, analysis showed that the clinical outcomes in terms of Qmax, IPSS, and QOL score remained stable during the follow-up period. Retreatment was required for 48 patients without urinary retention (28.6%) and 17 patients with retention (37.8%). The corresponding Kaplan-Meier cumulative retreatment risk at 5 years was estimated to be 42.3% and 58.8%. Our long-term data have indicated that the IPSS and QOL score remained improved in responders compared with their pretreatment scores 5 years after the 30-minute TUMT protocol and the Qmax remained significantly increased for up to 4 years. However, a significant number of patients required additional treatment, with those in retention before TUMT at a greater risk.

Meta‐analysis of treatment of cattle with bovine respiratory disease with tulathromycin

The objective of this study was to evaluate the comparative efficacy of tulathromycin at resolving bovine respiratory disease in North American feedlot cattle. This study was a systematic review of published literature. A search was conducted to identify all manuscripts relating to antibiotic treatment of cattle with respiratory disease. Relevant studies reported treatment with tulathromycin of naturally occurring respiratory disease in beef cattle in North America. Studies which failed to use randomization to minimize bias were excluded from the review. The relative risk of retreatment for bovine respiratory disease was calculated for each study included in the final review. Initially, 782 potential manuscripts were identified. After relevance screening and quality assessment, 21 high quality manuscripts were available for analysis. Two peer reviewed publications and two technical reports describing 14 trials compared tulathramycin with tilmicosin or florfenicol. In the meta-analysis of studies comparing tilmicosin with tulathromycin, the summary Mantel-Haenszel relative risk was 0.51 (95% confidence interval 0.45-0.57). It was not possible to calculate a summary Mantel-Haenszel relative risk comparing florfenicol with tulathromycin as the only three studies reported this comparison. When using a meta-analysis to combined data from randomized clinical trials reporting treatment with tulathromycin or either florfenicol or tilmicosin, tulathromycin was associated with an approximately 50% reduction in the risk of re-treatment for bovine respiratory disease compared with treatment with tilmicosin.

Accurate prediction of need for invasive treatment in alpha 1-blocker treated patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia not possible: Bootstrap validation analysis

Objectives Frequently, statistically significant prognostic factors are reported in published studies with suggestions that disease management should be modified. However, the clinical relevance of such factors is rarely quantified. We evaluated the accuracy of predicting the need for invasive treatment among patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia treated conservatively with alpha 1-blockers. Methods Information on eight prognostic factors was collected from 280 patients treated with alpha 1-blockers. Using the proportional hazards regression coefficients, a risk score for retreatment was calculated for each patient. The analyses were repeated on 1000 groups of 280 patients sampled from the original case series. The results from these “bootstrap analyses” were compared with the original results. Results Three statistically significant predictors of retreatment were identified. The 20% of patients with the greatest risk score had an 18-month risk of retreatment of only 20% (this should ideally approach 100%). Analyses of less than one half of all the bootstrap samples resulted in the same three significant prognostic factors. The 20% of patients with the greatest risk score in each of the 1000 samples experienced a highly variable risk of retreatment of 0% to 42%. Conclusions Strongly significant predictors for retreatment suggest the need for a change in disease management, but 4 of the 5 high-risk patients would be overtreated with a modified policy. The subclassification of patients with a relatively low risk and high risk of retreatment appeared far from accurate. Internal validation procedures may warn against the invalid translation of statistical significance into clinical relevance.

Risk of Retreatment of Previously Coiled Aneurysms

Risk of Retreatment of Previously Coiled Aneurysms

Repeated Endovascular Coil Occlusion in 350 of 2759 Intracranial Aneurysms: Safety and Effectiveness Aspects

Evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of endovascular retreatment of intracranial aneurysms with detachable coils. Retrospective analysis of clinical outcome as well as angiographic studies both before and after coil retreatment. The indication for retreatment was based on either inadequate occlusion after previous treatment or recurrent perfusion of the aneurysm. A total of 2759 intracranial aneurysms in 2360 patients were treated by endovascular coil occlusion. Of those, 350 (12.3%) aneurysms underwent a second treatment, and 94 (3.4%) aneurysms underwent three or more treatment sessions. The second treatment sessions were performed an average of 27.2 months after the previous procedure. The third and following treatment sessions were conducted an average of 25.3 months after the previous procedure. Initial treatment resulted in 100% occlusion in 63.7% of aneurysms. One hundred percent occlusion was achieved in only 46.9% of the second and 35.2% of the third and following sessions. Stent-assisted coil treatment was used in 5.6% of initial, 28.0% of second, and 20.7% of third and following sessions. Initial treatment sessions were uneventful in 83.2% of cases, second sessions in 86.9% of cases, and third and following sessions in 87.6% of cases. The morbidity-mortality rate for 495 retreatment sessions was 2.2% (n = 11). The natural course of aneurysm remnants or recurrent aneurysm perfusion after coil treatment is not completely understood. The low risk of bleeding from partially filled aneurysms must be balanced against the procedure-related risks of retreatment. Great caution is recommended for the treatment of asymptomatic recurrent aneurysms.

Risk of Retreatment of Previously Coiled Aneurysms

Risk of Retreatment of Previously Coiled Aneurysms

Recovery of Abnormal Ejaculation by Intermittent Tamsulosin Treatment

We assessed the impact of intermittent tamsulosin treatment on abnormal ejaculation. This prospective study was performed between January 2001 and December 2004. It included 405 patients who were at least 50 years old with lower urinary tract symptoms. This study was divided into 2 phases. In phase 1 patients received a 0.4 mg tamsulosin capsule daily after breakfast for at least 3 months. The second phase of this study was performed in the 30 patients with abnormal ejaculation. In this phase these patients received 0.4 mg tamsulosin once daily every other day. Patients were assessed at study entry and at study week 6. Abnormal ejaculation was reported as retrograde ejaculation by 18 patients, as decreased volume by 7 and as absent ejaculate by 5. Ejaculatory function recovered during intermittent tamsulosin treatment in 12 patients with retrograde ejaculation and in 7 with decreased volume or absent ejaculate. As a result, 19 of 30 patients (63.3%) with abnormal ejaculation recovered. A significant improvement in retrograde ejaculation was found after intermittent tamsulosin treatment (p = 0.02). Although there were improvements in decreased volume or absent ejaculate at week 6 of intermittent treatment, these differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.42 and 0.61, respectively). The results of the current study, which to our knowledge is the first report of the effect of intermittent tamsulosin treatment on abnormal ejaculation, show that this treatment modality is well tolerated and provides comparable improvements for abnormal ejaculation.

Length of outpatient addiction treatment and risk of rehospitalization

Several studies, mainly from the U.S. and usually with selected male samples, show that aftercare is positively related to lower risk of re-addiction or re-treatment. The present study extends this line of research in a report from public health health care addiction treatment services in Stockholm County. The study sample comprises all 196 men and 100 women alcohol-dependent patients from 10 districts hospitalized for at least 2 days during 1997–99 and who received outpatient care within 5 days. These patients were followed up until 2000, without attrition for renewed rehospitalization. Greater length of outpatient treatment was significantly related to reduced rehospitalization, but only in men. The intensity (average number of visits) of outpatient treatment was not significantly related to rehospitalization. The different effect of length of outpatient treatment between the genders may be due to differences in severity of alcohol dependence, social situation, psychiatric co-morbidity, and/or the extent to which treatment met patients’ needs.

全部床義歯によるそしゃく障害の改善

A 58 year-old female patient visited the clinic with chief complaint of chewing difficulty with her complete dentures. These dentures did not have a sufficient size of denture base and the resin teeth were completely ground down. Treatment dentures were inserted and the form was transferred to final dentures. The risk of re-treatment and adjustment after the denture insertion was reduced by using the treatment dentures. The Cochrane Library reported that there is no difference between complete dentures and implant supported over dentures in terms of patient satisfaction/chewing ability, provided the patient has an adequate mandibular ridge. Treatment dentures are important to reduce the risk of re-treatment.

Interstitial laser coagulation for management of benign prostatic hyperplasia: Long‐term follow‐up

We evaluated the long-term results of transurethral interstitial laser coagulation in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with up to 9 years of follow up at the Kurashiki Central Hospital and determined the patient characteristics that predict a favorable outcome. From December 1993 to May 1997, a total of 82 patients were enrolled in the present study. Subjective and objective voiding parameters were collected from medical records and a self-administered questionnaire was sent to the patients. Kaplan-Meier plots were constructed to assess the risk of retreatment. The mean follow-up period was 48.4 months (range, 3-108 months). A total of 59 patients (72%) did not need any additional treatment at 12 months and 30 patients (37%) did not require additional treatment during the entire follow-up period. A total of 29 patients (35%) were retreated during follow-up. Transurethral prostate resection (TURP) was performed in 18 patients (22%). The remaining 11 patients (13%) were offered additional pharmacotherapy. The minimum and median retreatment-free durations were 3 and 14 months, respectively. Seven patients died and 17 were lost to follow-up. Men aged 71 years or older had greater likelihood of requiring retreatment than those younger than 71 years (P = 0.0397). No significant differences were noted in the other baseline characteristics. Among postoperative parameters, a rate of decrease of the International Prostate Symptom Score of the patient of lower than 60% and a rate of decrease in patient quality of life of lower than 50% at 3 months were associated with greater likelihood of retreatment (P = 0.0083 and P = 0.0006, respectively). Interstitial laser coagulation is effective for the treatment of BPH. Good long-term results and an acceptably low retreatment rate render this modality an effective alternative to TURP, especially for younger patients. Short-term improvement of subjective symptoms was predictive of favorable long-term outcome.