Photo Credit: Stas_V
For men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatic artery embolization (PAE) is safe and effective over 24 months of follow-up, according to a study in Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology. The authors included 478 men with BPH with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) or acute urinary retention (AUR) treated with PAE. The analyses included 405 patients with bothersome LUTS and 73 with AUR. The mean total International Prostate Symptom Score at baseline was 21.8 for patients treated for bothersome LUTS, which decreased to 9.3, 10.6, and 11.2 at 3, 12, and 24 months after PAE. Baseline QOL was 4.7 and decreased to 2.0, 2.1, and 2.3 at 3, 12, and 24 months. The mean Sexual Health Inventory for Men score was 13.8 at baseline and 13.9 at 12 months after PAE. Overall, 65.8% of patients treated for AUR had their catheter removed within 3 months of PAE and remained catheter-free at 24 months.
