High-energy transurethral microwave thermotherapy for large severely obstructing prostates and the use of biodegradable stents to avoid catheterization after treatment

[S2e guideline of the German urologists: Instrumental treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia]

This report summarizes the relevant aspects of the S2e guideline of the German Urologists for the instrumental treatment of the lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Recommendations are given regarding open and transurethral procedures (TUR-P, bipolar TUR-P, TUI-P, HE-TUMT, TUNA, and the different Laser techniques). Recommendations are also given concerning intraprostatic stents and injection therapies. The influence of the different therapeutic options on bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) is described in detail.

First experiences with the Spanner™ temporary prostatic stent for prostatic urethral obstruction

OBJECTIVES

To assess the ease of insertion and removal of a temporary prostatic stent (the Spanner™) following the use of a prostatic urethral measuring device (the Surveyor™).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with bladder outflow obstruction or urinary retention awaiting definitive surgery were fully consented. Data were collected pre- and post-insertion and patients followed-up until definitively treated.

RESULTS

16 patients had the Spanner inserted following use of the Surveyor. All insertions were uncomplicated. 14 patients were able to void satisfactorily immediately post-insertion with a mean Qmax of 15.0 ml/s and post-void residual of 51.3 ml. No symptomatic infection was reported. The stents stayed in situ for a median of 10 days. 12 stents were removed prematurely due to severe symptoms or retention. A total of 12 stents had to be removed endoscopically.

CONCLUSIONS

The Spanner is easy to insert. Stent removal via the retrieval suture has been difficult necessitating the use of endoscopy in the majority of cases. Possible causes of stent failure include underestimation of the prostatic urethral length by the Surveyor leading to obstruction by apical prostatic tissue, excessive suture length between the stent and distal anchor permitting proximal migration or inadequate suture length leading to urinary incontinence. Further design modifications are suggested.

Use of a temporary prostatic stent after transurethral microwave thermotherapy reduced voiding symptoms and bother without exacerbating irritative symptoms

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the ability of a temporary prostatic stent (Spanner [Sp]) to manage voiding symptoms, irritative symptoms, and bother after transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) for prostatic obstruction.

METHODS

Patients were randomized to the Sp (n = 100) or standard of care (SOC, n = 86) after TUMT with 3 to 10 days of routine catheterization. We evaluated International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) voiding subscore, IPSS irritative subscore, voiding diary data, and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Impact Index (BII) 7 to 10 days before TUMT and repeated them 1, 2, 4 (stent removal), 5, and 8 weeks after stent insertion.

RESULTS

After 1 week of stent use, the Sp group experienced significantly greater improvements in the IPSS voiding subscore (Sp = -4.9 versus SOC = -2.3, P = 0.002) and individual voiding symptoms assessed by the IPSS (intermittency, weak stream, and straining) and voiding diary data (stream strength, and strain). After 2 weeks, the Sp group showed a trend toward greater improvements in IPSS voiding (P = 0.059) and irritative (P = 0.058) subscores and reported significantly less bother (BII, Sp = -2.1 versus SOC = -1.1, P = 0.033). After stent removal, the Sp group reported significantly greater improvements in the IPSS irritative subscore (5 weeks: Sp = -4.0 versus SOC = -2.7, P = 0.029; 8 weeks: Sp = -5.0 versus SOC = -4.0, P = 0.050), individual voiding (stream strength and dysuria), and irritative (frequency and urgency) symptoms and bother (5 weeks: Sp = -4.0 versus SOC = -2.3, P = 0.002; 8 weeks: Sp = -5.0 versus SOC = -3.1, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The Spanner, a temporary prostatic stent, improved voiding symptoms and bother without exacerbating irritative symptoms. Improvements in symptoms and bother were sustained after stent removal.

A Temporary Intraurethral Prostatic Stent Relieves Prostatic Obstruction Following Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy

PURPOSE

The Spanner, a novel prostatic stent, was evaluated for safety, efficacy and patient tolerance when used to relieve prostatic obstruction following transurethral microwave thermotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Following transurethral microwave thermotherapy and routine post-procedure Foley catheterization at 1 of 9 clinical sites 186 patients meeting study criteria were randomized to receive a Spanner (100) or the standard of care (86). Baseline evaluations included post-void residual urine, uroflowmetry, International Prostate Symptom Score and International Prostate Symptom Score quality of life question. These evaluations were repeated at visits 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8 weeks after randomization (Spanner insertion) with the addition of the Spanner satisfaction questionnaire, ease of use assessment and adverse events recording. The Spanner was removed after 4 weeks, at which time the Spanner and standard of care groups underwent cystourethroscopy.

RESULTS

At the 1 and 2-week visits the Spanner group showed significantly greater improvements from baseline in post-void residual urine, uroflowmetry and International Prostate Symptom Score compared to the standard of care group. The Spanner group experienced significantly greater improvements in quality of life at the 5 and 8-week visits. Patient satisfaction with the Spanner exceeded 86%. Cystourethroscopy findings in the Spanner and standard of care groups were comparable and adverse events associated with previous stents were rare.

CONCLUSIONS

The Spanner is a safe, effective and well tolerated temporary stent for severe prostatic obstruction resulting from therapy induced edema after transurethral microwave thermotherapy. It may be a needed addition to the armamentarium for managing bladder outlet obstruction in a broad group of urological patients.

Biocompatibility properties of a new braided biodegradable urethral stent: a comparison with a biodegradable spiral and a braided metallic stent in the rabbit urethra

OBJECTIVE

To compare the biocompatibility properties of a new braided biodegradable self-reinforced poly-L-lactic acid (SR-PLLA) urethral stent to the former spiral biodegradable SR-PLLA stent and the stainless steel stent in a rabbit model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In all, 54 male New Zealand White rabbits were anaesthetized and stents inserted into the prostatic urethra, three of each kind for each sample time. The rabbits were killed after 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 or 15 months and light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy used to analyse the effects.

RESULTS

The disintegration of the braided SR-PLLA stent was more closely controlled than that of the spiral SR-PLLA stent. The metallic stent induced epithelial hyperplasia and polyposis earlier than the biodegradable stents, and in these rabbits the polyposis disappeared after the disintegration process. There were no differences in the histological analyses between the biodegradable stents, whereas the metallic stents caused the strongest inflammatory reactions.

CONCLUSIONS

The braided SR-PLLA urethral stent functioned well in the rabbit urethra and clinical studies are already planned.

BIOCOMPATIBILITY AND IMPLANTATION PROPERTIES OF 2 DIFFERENTLY BRAIDED, BIODEGRADABLE, SELF-REINFORCED POLYLACTIC ACID URETHRAL STENTS: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY IN THE RABBIT

PURPOSE

Biodegradable urethral stents have been in clinical use for more than 10 years. To solve the problems connected with the helical spiral configuration of the stents used to date we developed a new tubular mesh configuration and evaluated the biocompatibility properties and degradation time of 2 differently braided stents in the rabbit urethra.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The biodegradable, self-expanding stents were made of self-reinforced polylactic acid polymer blended with BaSO4 (Alfa Chem, Kings Point, New York). Two braiding patterns, namely a diamond 1/1 and a regular 2/2 + 1 (Prodesco, Perkasie, Pennsylvania), were used to produce a tubular mesh configuration. Stainless steel stents with 1/1 braiding served as controls. The stents were inserted into the posterior urethra of 36 male rabbits. The animals were sacrificed after 1 week, 1 month, 6 months or 12 months. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy analyses were done.

RESULTS

Tissue reactions to operative trauma were seen in all specimens at week 1. The changes gradually abated in the biodegradable stent groups, whereas chronic inflammatory changes and fibrosis were increasingly seen with metallic stents after 6 months. Epithelial hyperplasia increased with time for all stent types and materials. As expected, stent fragmentation started at 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Biodegradable polymers are suitable materials for braided urethral stents. However, the braided configuration of the stent with a decreased mass of material does not prevent the development of epithelial hyperplasia. The biodegradable, self-expanding, braided stents functioned well in the rabbit urethra and are suitable for clinical studies.

Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy: Clinical Results after 11 Years of Use

PURPOSE

To evaluate the durability of the effect of transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) for lower urinary-tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 841 patients with LUTS received TUMT using the Prostatron device at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden. Two treatment programs were used: low-energy Program 2.0 and high-energy Program 3.5. A questionnaire, including International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL) score, and questions about general health status, was sent to all the patients. The mean followup after TUMT was 8.8 years for Program 2.0 and 2.5 years for Program 3.5.

RESULTS

At the end of follow-up, 67% of the patients treated with Program 2.0 were satisfied with the TUMT. During the follow-up period, 37% of patients experienced worsened symptoms, 18% various complications (e.g., hematuria), and 25% transient urinary-tract infection, and 16% went into retention. Secondary treatment (repeat TUMT, transurethral resection, medical therapy) was needed in 32% of patients. The mean IPSS was 13.5, and QoL score decreased to 2.1. With Program 3.5, 82% of the patients were satisfied, with another 17% having increased symptoms, 17% various complication, 25% urinary tract infection, and 26% retention. Only 7% of patients needed secondary treatment. The IPSS and QoL score went down to 11.4 and 1.6, respectively.

CONCLUSION

These long-term data show that TUMT produces durable improvement and, with its safety and low retreatment rate, presents an attractive alternative for patients with LUTS suggestive of BOO.

Bioartifizielle Materialien in der Urologie

The scope of our research is the development of polymer-based bioabsorbable stents for urologic applications and in vitro testing of tissue reactions of cultured ureteral and urethral segments induced by implanted polymer stent prototypes. For these purposes a tissue cultivation model was developed using selected techniques of tissue engineering. Essential advantages of degradable over nondegradable urethral stents are elimination of the adverse extraction of epithelialized stents and the potential for recovery of organ-specific functionality. Moreover, the biocompatibility of a degradable urethral stent could potentially reduce the risk of restenosis due to hyperplasia and could be used, even repeatedly, for the treatment of a number of subvesical obstructions. For the treatment of tumor-induced strictures, application of degradable polymer stents coated with cytostatic drugs may be possible. The mechanical effect of the drug-loaded stent as a "place holder" could be complemented by adjuvant or palliative approaches such as local chemotherapy. We have developed and tested in vitro a degradable urethral stent incorporated with the model drug methotrexate for local drug delivery (LDD) by diffusion and during stent degradation.

Intermittent catheterization time required after interstitial laser coagulation of the prostate

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate and minimize the duration of clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) required after interstitial laser coagulation of the prostate in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

METHODS

Patients who did not show sufficient improvement in lower urinary tract symptoms or voiding dysfunctions with alpha-1 adrenergic blockers, and who agreed to undergo interstitial laser coagulation of the prostate, were enrolled in this study. Postoperatively, the indwelling Foley catheters were removed by the next morning. Patients were then required to undertake CIC with alpha-1 adrenergic blockade therapy until the postvoid residual urine volume decreased to less than 100 mL.

RESULTS

Seventy-nine patients underwent interstitial laser coagulation of the prostate, and 70 underwent catheter-free trials by postoperative day 1. The mean age and preoperative prostate volume of these 70 patients was 70.3 years (SD 8.7) and 49.6 cm3 (SD 34.8), respectively. Forty-three patients experienced postoperative urinary retention, and 37 of these underwent CIC. The median postoperative catheterization time was 3 days (range 0 to 31), and all patients eventually became catheter free. Univariate analysis showed that postoperative urinary retention was associated with a preoperative prostate volume of 30 cm3 or larger, a maximal flow rate of less than 6 mL/s, and a postvoid residual urine volume of 100 mL or greater. Multivariate analysis showed that a preoperative prostate volume of 30 cm3 or larger was the most significant predictor of postoperative urinary retention.

CONCLUSIONS

More than 60% of the patients experienced urinary retention after interstitial laser coagulation of the prostate. However, the results of the present study suggested that CIC and alpha-1 adrenergic blockade therapy could manage post-treatment urinary retention with a relatively short catheterization time.

Can prostate stents be used to predict the outcome of transurethral resection of the prostate in the difficult cases?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Endoprosthesis has been used to maintain luminal patency in several different diseases and is well established in cardiovascular and gastrointestinal pathologies. The usefulness and application in prostatic pathology and benign prostatic hyperplasia are not as clear. This report reviews the development of overactive bladder in patients with bladder outlet obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia. It also describes a new application of prostatic stents in patients with combined overactive bladder and bladder outlet obstruction.

RECENT FINDINGS

Over the last few decades, interest has been focused on the pathology of overactive bladder due to bladder outlet obstruction. Persistent outlet obstruction can certainly induce overactivity in some cases. However, the significance of preoperative identification of the latter problem is still an open issue, and it is obviously of vital importance to find instruments to identify parameters of prognostic significance. Different prostatic stents have been used for a variety of purposes. Recent studies have demonstrated that prostatic stents are effective in relieving obstruction and urinary retention. However, the role of prostatic stents in bladder outlet obstruction is still not clear when compared with other minimally invasive options. By using a prostatic stent to simulate transurethral resection of the prostate, the risk of post-resection incontinence in patients with combined severe bladder outlet obstruction and severe overactive bladder has been possible to assess before the operation. However, larger controlled clinical studies are needed to corroborate the value of the test.

SUMMARY

Prostatic obstruction can induce severe overactive bladder in some cases. A prostatic stent to relieve outflow obstruction and to simulate transurethral resection of the prostate decreases the risk of post-resection incontinence in patients with combined severe bladder outlet obstruction and severe overactive bladder because very high risk patients can be excluded from surgery. The stent test indicates that patients who do not leak and experience reduced symptoms when they are relieved of their outlet obstruction can be advised to have a transurethral resection of the prostate.

Encrustation and strength retention properties of the self-expandable, biodegradable, self-reinforced L-lactide-glycolic acid co-polymer 80:20 spiral urethral stent in vitro

PURPOSE

Encrustation of urological stents is a clinical problem. The chemical composition and surface properties of the devices have a marked effect on its incidence. The ability of the stent to prevent duct collapse depends on its compression strength, which decreases as degradation progresses. We have developed a new self-reinforced, L-lactide-glycolic acid co-polymer with a molar ratio of 80:20 (SR-PLGA 80/20), that is the SpiroFlow (Bionx Implants, Ltd., Tampere, Finland) stent. We compared the resistance to encrustation of the new stent material to that of 2 temporary metallic stents, Prostakath (Doctors and Engineers, Inc., Copenhagen, Denmark) and Memokath 028 (Engineers and Doctors A/S, Ltd., Kvistgård, Denmark). In addition, mechanical compression properties during degradation were investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For encrustation studies 7 mm segments of the test material of the SR-PLGA 80/20, Prostakath and Memokath stents were incubated in vitro in sterile artificial urine for 4 and 8 weeks, and the SR-PLGA 80/20 also for 12 weeks. After incubation the specimens were fixed in glutaraldehyde, critical point dried and coated with gold in sputter for scanning electron microscope analysis. Analysis was done at 100x magnification in 5 randomly selected areas per sample. Results are presented as a median percent of the whole analyzed area covered by encrustation in each tested material. For compression strength studies 20 mm pieces of manufactured SR-PLGA 80/20 spiral stent wire were similarly incubated in sterile artificial urine for 12 weeks. Measurements were made by compressing the specimens between 2 parallel planes at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks. All analyses were made in triplicate.

RESULTS

The areas covered by encrustation at 4 weeks were 8.01% for the Memokath, 1.49% for the Prostakath and 0% for the SR-PLGA 80/20. At 8 weeks the percent was 28.4%, 4.1% and 0.12%, respectively, remaining steady at 0.12% in the SR-PLGA 80/20 at 12 weeks. Compression strength of the SR-PLGA stent remained stable up to 6 weeks, after which it decreased rapidly.

CONCLUSIONS

The new SR-PLGA 80/20 material is markedly more resistant to encrustation than metallic urethral stent materials and it retains compression strength up to 6 weeks, which is long enough for temporary stenting for most clinical indications in urology. Thus, the new stent is well suited to future clinical use.

Expansion and fixation properties of a new braided biodegradable urethral stent: an experimental study in the rabbit

PURPOSE

Biodegradable spiral urethral stents have been used with favorable results combined with thermal treatments of the prostate and for recurrent urethral strictures but the configuration of the helical spiral is not ideal. We developed a new tubular mesh configuration for the biodegradable urethral stent and evaluated its expansion and locking properties in the rabbit urethra.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The stents were made of self-reinforced polylactic acid polymer (Bionx Implants, Ltd., Tampere, Finland) blended with BaSO (Alfa Chem, New York, New York) to achieve radiopacity. Two braiding patterns, that is 1 over 1 and 2 over 2 + 1, were used to produce a tubular mesh structure. Stainless steel stents (pattern 1 over 1) served as controls. The stents were inserted into the posterior urethra of 27 male rabbits. The animals were sacrificed after 1 week, 1 and 6 months, respectively. X-rays were done immediately after stent insertion and at sacrifice. Longitudinal movement and expansion were assessed on the x-rays.(4)

RESULTS

All stents maintained position in the urethra without fixation. Macroscopic disorientation of the structure of the 2 over 2 + 1 braided self-reinforced polylactic acid polymer stents began before 1 month, while 1 over 1 braided stents retained their construction. At 6 months 3 of 6 biodegradable stents were degraded. Average longitudinal movement was 2 mm. (range 1 to 3) in the 1 over 1 self-reinforced polylactic acid polymer group, 2 mm. (range 0 to 7) in the 2 over 2 + 1 polylactic acid group and 3 mm. (range 3 to 3) in controls at 1 month.

CONCLUSIONS

Biodegradable polymers are suitable materials for braided urethral stents. The expansion properties of the 2 braiding models tested in this study sufficed to fix the stents in situ in the prostatic urethra. However, the 1 over 1 braiding pattern was superior to the 2 over 2 + 1 pattern, in that it retained its macroscopic construction until the degradation of single self-reinforced polylactic acid polymer fibers.

Are stents still a useful therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The use of an endoprosthesis to maintain lumenal patency is a well-established concept used in a variety of surgical settings, including cardiovascular and gastrointestinal pathologies. However, the utility of self-retaining endoprosthetics and their application in prostatic pathology and benign prostatic hyperplasia is not as clear. This report reviews recent developments in the management of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia, particularly the current role of intraprostatic stenting in the advent of other minimally invasive therapies such as laser prostatectomy.

RECENT FINDINGS

Over the past 5 years, urology has witnessed the proliferation of minimally invasive surgical therapies for benign prostatic hyperplasia. These interventions have enabled the urologist to treat a problem whose management was once limited to medical therapy, transurethral resection of the prostate, or open, relatively morbid surgery. The role of stents as an intermediary in cases of treatment failure, or as definitive therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia and its associated problems is still not clear, when compared with newer, minimally invasive options. Current literature on stents is relatively sparse. However recent studies demonstrate that permanent and temporary prostatic urethral stenting are effective in relieving obstruction and urinary retention. Nevertheless larger controlled clinical studies are needed to demonstrate the real value of this intervention.

SUMMARY

Prostatic stenting has a definite role in the management of benign prostatic hypertrophy, but stents must be used with caution because complications are still relatively common, and their true efficacy and utility in the urological setting has not been determined.

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study to investigate the effects of finasteride combined with a biodegradable self-reinforced poly L-lactic acid spiral stent in patients with urinary retention caused by bladder outlet obstruction from benign prostatic hyperplasia

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether patients in acute urinary retention from benign prostatic enlargement can be treated with a combined therapy comprising finasteride and a bioabsorbable self-reinforced poly L-lactic acid (SR-PLLA) urethral stent.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fifty-five patients in acute urinary retention were treated as outpatients; they had a suprapubic catheter inserted and the SR-PLLA stent placed cystoscopically. After 2 weeks the patients were randomized to receive either finasteride 5 mg daily or placebo. They were assessed at baseline and at 6, 12 and 18 months for maximum urinary flow rate, prostate volume and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA).

RESULTS

Nineteen patients completed the study while 36 discontinued. There was a statistically significant increase in the mean maximum flow rate, and a statistically significant decrease in the prostatic volume and serum PSA in the finasteride group. The same number of patients discontinued in both groups; the major reason for discontinuation was insufficient therapeutic response.

CONCLUSIONS

The major problems were discontinuation of treatment because the response to therapy was insufficient, and uncontrolled breakdown of the spiral stent. To solve these problems, new configurations of bioabsorbable stents are needed.

Microwave thermotherapy: historical overview

The application of heat with curative aim is an old and very well-known principle in medicine. A review of the history of heat use in the treatment of prostatic disease is presented. The article is based on bibliographic research (MEDLINE Search and PubMed) and focuses on treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) since the first clinical documentation of transrectal hyperthermia for this condition. Then, in a chronological sequence, not only the evolution toward thermotherapy but also enhancements of the latest techniques are presented. The new advances in the field of patient selection, indications, and outcome predictors, as well as new trends in treatment are briefly considered.

Clinical results of microwave thermotherapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia

Transurethral microwave thermotherapy is a truly office procedure without the need for anesthesia for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia. Several devices have been developed. Continuous refinement of the procedure led to higher energy protocols and high-intensity dose protocols applying the heat-shock strategy. We report on the clinical results of these protocols. Symptom scores improve around 60%, whereas maximum urinary flow rate improve from an average 9 to 10 mL/sec at baseline to 14 to 15 mL/sec during follow-up. No significant differences have been shown between the outcomes with the different devices. Long-term data show satisfactory results after 4 years. Initial clinical results with the heat-shock strategy show results comparable to those of higher-energy protocols with decreased morbidity. Treatment morbidity of higher energy protocols is moderate and consists mainly of the need for catheterization and a higher percentage of retrograde ejaculation. To improve treatment efficacy, patient selection appears to be most important. Prostate size, bladder outlet obstruction, age, and prostate composition are of predictive value for treatment outcome. Further development of the treatment protocols and refinement of the urethral applicators might enhance outcome.

Temporary intraurethral prostatic bridge-catheter compared with neoadjuvant and adjuvant alpha-blockade to improve early results of high-energy transurethral microwave thermotherapy

OBJECTIVES

The maximal effect of transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) occurs 3 to 6 months after treatment. In the acute period after TUMT, little change in symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and peak urinary flow rate (Qmax) is observed versus baseline. Some men may also develop acute urinary retention secondary to thermally induced edema. Recent reports suggest that early results of TUMT may be improved with concomitant use of either a temporary intraurethral prostatic bridge-catheter (PBC) or neoadjuvant and adjuvant alpha-blocker therapy. This report compares the results of these two adjunctive modalities directly.

METHODS

This nonrandomized retrospective comparison of results in 186 patients with LUTS of BPH is based on findings of three recently reported prospective clinical trials. All patients underwent targeted high-energy TUMT. Ninety-one patients received no further treatment (TUMT alone group), 54 an indwelling PBC for up to 1 month (TUMT + PBC group), and 41 neoadjuvant and adjuvant tamsulosin (0.4 mg daily) treatment (TUMT + tamsulosin group). The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), QOL score, and Qmax were determined at baseline and 2 weeks after TUMT.

RESULTS

All three study groups experienced statistically significant improvements in mean IPSS and QOL score at 2 weeks versus baseline (P <0.0005). Nevertheless, the magnitude of improvement was greater in the TUMT + PBC group than the other two groups and greater in the TUMT + tamsulosin group than the TUMT alone group. A high proportion of the TUMT + PBC group (87.8%) attained a 50% or more IPSS improvement, compared with 4.5% of the TUMT alone group and none of the TUMT + tamsulosin group, and a similar pattern of between-group differences was noted with respect to the proportion of patients having 50% or more improvement in QOL score. The TUMT + PBC group was the only group to achieve significant Qmax improvement at 2 weeks compared with baseline. In the TUMT alone group, urinary retention 1 week or longer in duration occurred in 10 (11%) of 91 patients compared with 1 (2.4%) of 41 in the TUMT + tamsulosin group and none in the TUMT + PBC group. Early PBC removal was required in 11% of the TUMT + PBC group as a consequence of urinary retention secondary to clot formation or PBC migration.

CONCLUSIONS

Both PBC placement and neoadjuvant and adjuvant alpha-blocker treatment are effective in alleviating symptoms and improving QOL during the acute period after TUMT. PBC usage also resulted in substantial early Qmax improvement. Either of these adjunctive modalities may be appropriate to consider in the treatment of TUMT patients during the early postprocedure recovery period.

Transurethral microwave thermotherapy: what role should it play versus medical management in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia?

Both transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) and medical management by alpha-blockade or 5-alpha-reductase inhibition are increasingly being considered as alternatives to surgery for treatment of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). We review current evidence supporting the effectiveness and safety of TUMT and medical management. Factors for consideration in appropriately selecting patients for TUMT versus medical management are suggested. Available data indicate that TUMT confers greater long-term benefits than medical management as judged by symptom score and peak urinary flow rate improvements. TUMT-associated morbidity is comparatively low. Alpha-blockade affords more rapid relief than TUMT for patients with BPH; however, other strategies such as the use of temporary intraurethral endoprostheses during the acute post-TUMT recovery period may diminish or abolish the differences in time-course of symptom and flow rate improvement between TUMT and alpha-blockade. 5-Alpha-reductase inhibition with finasteride offers a favorable side-effect profile, although the magnitude of symptom and flow rate improvements is modest, and maximal effects of finasteride do not become manifest until after several months of treatment. As TUMT continues to evolve, increasing attention is being accorded the delivery of high thermal doses and precise targeting of the thermal energy delivered. The development of alpha-blockers with a more favorable side-effect profile continues to be a major focus of investigation. The potential clinical utility of combination therapy with TUMT and alpha-blockade is currently under investigation.

Minimally invasive treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia

The armamentarium of minimally invasive treatment modalities for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia has constantly increased during the past decade. The energy sources used range from micro-/radiofrequency waves to high-intensity focused ultrasound, laser vaporization/coagulation/resection and electrosurgical techniques. Each of these devices has its particular advantages and disadvantages. At present, the most intensively studied techniques are interstitial laser coagulation, holmium laser resection and new approaches to transurethral electrosurgery.