The need to reduce patient discomfort during transrectal ultrasonography-guided prostate biopsy: what do we know?

During the last decade the development of prostate biopsy has continuously accelerated. Much has been written about the indications for biopsy, patient preparation, the potential complications associated with the procedure, and the optimum number of biopsy cores. However, minor emphasis has been placed on the problem of reducing pain during the procedure, as patient discomfort has usually been considered as a necessary part of it