Technique with the Stern-McCarthy electrotome

Abstract

The purpose of setting forth in detail the technique of endoscopic prostatic surgery is not to teach the embryo urologist or the occasional urologist how to perform this operation; nor is it to displace or replace any hospital training of the urologic surgeon. Instead, it is offered to supplement such instruction, and to give the house surgeon a didactic knowledge of the procedure before he starts using it — as well as to save some of the time and energy of the attending urologist who patiently or otherwise endeavors to explain and demonstrate the fine points. The portion dealing with the more advanced technique might also help those who have had their basic training, and who are trying to perfect and adapt themselves to the more difficult operation of removing larger prostates by the endoscopic method. If, perchance, one of the many urologic surgeons who are expert resectoscopists should read this volume, he will undoubtedly find that the details of technique given here do not correspond with those used by him. It is hoped he will understand that the author makes no claim that his is the one and only method in use, and that the following exposé is not intended to convey the impression that this is the last word in technical knowledge. It is merely the description of a procedure which in our hands has proved workable, and is presented as such and no more. It should be pointed out that the basic principles which apply to endoscopic prostatic surgery also apply to other types of endoscopic surgery.