Pain control according to the periprostatic nerve block site in magnetic resonance imaging/transrectal targeted prostate biopsy

We analyzed the intensity of pain at each site of systemic prostate biopsy (SBx) and compared the intensity of pain among magnetic resonance (MRI)-targeted transrectal biopsies according to the periprostatic nerve block (PNB) site. We collected data from 229 consecutive patients who had undergone MRI-targeted biopsy. Patients were stratified into two groups according to the site of PNB (base versus base and apex PNB). Pain was quantified at the following time points: probe insertion, injection at the prostate base, injection at the prostate apex, MRI cognitive biopsy (CBx), MRI/transrectal ultrasound fusion biopsy (FBx), SBx, and 15 min after biopsy. For all biopsy methods, the average pain were significantly higher in the base PNB group than in the base and apex PNB group (CBx, p < 0.001; FBx, p = 0.015; SBx, p < 0.001). In the base and apex PNB group, FBx was significantly more painful than SBx (p = 0.024). Overall, regardless of the PNB site, pain at the anterior sites was more than that at the posterior sites in FBx (p = 0.039). Base and apex PNB provided better overall pain control than base-only PNB in all biopsy methods. In the base and apex PNB group, FBx was more painful than CBx and SBx.