Variability in patient preparation for prostate biopsy among American urologists

Objectives. To assess the variability in patient preparation for prostate biopsy (PBX) among practicing American urologists. Methods. A survey was sent to 900 practicing American urologists randomly selected by the American Urological Association computer files. The survey asked about their pre-PBX protocol. Results. Approximately 63% (568 of 900) of the surveys were returned and showed considerable differences in pre-PBX protocol among those urologists. The pre-PBX regimen included prophylactic antibiotics in 98.6% and a cleansing rectal enema in 81%. Eleven different antibiotics were used, with 20 different doses and 23 different timing-duration regimens. Conclusions. The pre-PBX preparation is not standardized among American urologists. UROLOGY 52: 644-646, 1998.