Hemospermia following transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy: a prospective study

Hemospermia is known to be associated with transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS-PB). The true incidence of hemospermia, its duration and implications are not well established. We performed a prospective observational study involving patients undergoing TRUS-PB for suspected prostate cancer at our institution. Sixty-three eligible men were included in the study. Most men (84%) undergoing TRUS-PB, who were able to ejaculate, experienced hemospermia, which was associated with some degree of anxiety. The mean duration of hemospermia was 3.5 (+/-1.7) weeks. The number of ejaculations before the complete resolution of hemospermia was 8 (+/-6.7). None of the clinical and pathological factors was a significant predictor of the duration of hemospermia. Patients should be adequately counseled before TRUS-PB to avoid undue anxiety and alterations in sexual activity.