@Article{,
AUTHOR = {Daniel J. Canter, Kenneth Ogan, Viraj A. Master},
TITLE = {Initial North American experience with the use of the Olympus Button Electrode for vaporization of bladder tumors},
JOURNAL = {Canadian Journal of Urology},
VOLUME = {19},
YEAR = {2012},
NUMBER = {2},
PAGES = {6211--6216},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/CJU/v19n2/61830},
ISSN = {1488-5581},
ABSTRACT = {The current treatment standard of care for patients who 
present de novo or with a recurrent bladder tumor is 
transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT) using 
monopolar or bipolar electrocautery in the form of a 90-degree 
loop electrode, which has been used since its introduction in 
1952. This intervention, accomplished transurethrally, is 
both diagnostic and potentially therapeutic for patients with 
bladder cancer, especially for low grade, non muscle-invasive 
bladder tumors. Although usually safe and sufficient, this 
technique can create technical challenges, especially in 
the dynamically changing spherical space of the bladder. 
Bipolar energy has been available for many years and has 
been readily adopted for the endoscopic treatment of benign 
prostatic enlargement. A further refinement on bipolar 
energy has been the recent introduction of the Olympus 
Button Electrode (Olympus, Southborough, MA, USA). 
Coupling bipolar energy into the Olympus Button Electrode 
not only harnesses the benefits of less thermal spread but 
also obviates many of the geometric challenges associated 
with loop electrodes during resection of either large or 
inauspiciously placed bladder tumors.<br/>
In this article, we detail our initial experience vaporizing 
bladder tumors with the Olympus Button Electrode. 
Although still very early in our experience, we have been 
able to completely vaporize very large tumors as well as 
tumors located in difficult parts of the bladder to access 
with minimal blood loss and no bladder perforations. 
Furthermore, our ability to obtain adequate grade and 
stage information has not been compromised by using 
this vaporization technique.},
DOI = {}
}