Transurethral ethanol injection may be a treatment options for some men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), long-term study data suggest.
Researchers at the University of Alexandria in Egypt evaluated the treatment in 35 BPH patients who had a mean age of 66.3 years. Endoscopic injection of 6-12 mL of ethanol was performed at 5-10 sites in the prostate.
The mean International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) improved significantly 22 preoperatively to 9.85 after four years of follow-up. Mean peak urinary flow rate rose from 5.87 to 16.89 mL/sec, mean residual volume decreased from 68.6 to 36.02 mL, and mean prostate volume decreased from 52.67 to 49.94. Investigators published their findings in the International Journal of Urology (2008; published online ahead of print).
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The researchers observed no intra-operative complications, but post-operative urine retention occurred in all patients. This required catheterization for a mean of 6.7 days. Acute epididymitis and chronic prostatitis occurred in two patients, and urethral stricture occurred in one.
“The long-term effects of ethanol injection of the prostate were satisfactory and acceptable as a minimally invasive therapeutic modality of selected patients,” the authors concluded.
