OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy of the double-balloon and triple-channel catheter (DBTC) in the treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP).

METHODSOne hundred and three CBP patients were randomly assigned to three different groups and received three different therapies, respectively: 1. 61 cases by transurethral perfusion and drainage with antibiotics with DBTC catheter; 2. 29 cases by intravenous antibiotics, and 3. 13 cases by transurethral irrigation with 0.9% saline. The lecithin, white blood cells (WBC) in expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) and Meares-Stamey's test fractionary urine culture pre- and post-therapies were compared.

RESULTSThe improvement rates of clinical symptoms and lecithin corpuscles were 81.9% and 68.9%, respectively. And the decline rate of WBC and bacteriological efficacy rate were 75.4% and 91.8%, respectively. There was a significant statistical difference between the DBTC group and the intravenous group in the lecithin, WBC and bacterial culture (P < 0.05, < 0.01 and < 0.01, respectively), and so was there between the saline group and the intravenous group in the decline of WBC(chi 2 = 5.6, P < 0.05), but with no difference in lecithin and bacterial culture. Among 61 patients treated with DBTC, 3 developed mild allergic reaction in urethra.

CONCLUSIONSTransurethral DBTC has a better clinical efficacy than traditional intravenous treatment for CBP. DBTC perfusion combined with other hypurgia holds obvious advantages of being safe, effective, easy and repeatable in the treatment of CBP.