ABSTRACT
The surgical techniques used in urology have developed rapidly during the past decades. One example is the surgical removal of kidney stones, which was a common operation in the early 1990s. These operations were cumbersome for the anesthetic team, because the patients needed to rest on their lateral side while the body was kept hyperextended. Today, these patients are treated by extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy on an outpatient basis. The anesthesiologist does not even need to be involved. Another example is the rapid development of alternative treatments for benign prostatic hypertrophy, which include laser, thermotherapy, vaporization, and medication.
