This study compares two methods, general anaesthesia (GA) and local anaesthesia (LA), for prostate biopsies, a common procedure for diagnosing prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is widespread and diagnosing it involves thousands of biopsies, often done under general anesthesia, which is expensive. With over 40,000 biopsies performed annually in Australia, Dr Matthew Roberts, Associate Professor John Yaxley and their team aimed to find the most cost-effective and efficient approach. The results can help to determine the most economically efficient method, considering both healthcare and societal perspectives, in light of the increasing prevalence of prostate cancer in the aging population.

Using standard health economics methods, this project found that LA not only resulted in similar patient outcomes but also saved costs, benefiting both individuals and society, saving $958 per patient. The shorter recovery and procedure times with LA could lead to a more streamlined diagnostic process and to the establishment of a Local Anesthesia Prostate Biopsy service, improving efficiency and reducing waiting times. The long-term goal includes creating a "One-Stop Shop Prostate Cancer Clinic," where patients can be reviewed and biopsied on the same day, accelerating the diagnostic process. Beyond directly benefiting diagnosed patients, this approach could also relieve demand on operating theatre time, benefiting the broader patient community and potentially extending the service to regional settings, reducing inconvenience for patients and lessening the burden on metropolitan hospitals.