Novel procedure may be potential surgery alternative for BPH. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (3/29, Fauber) reported that a new, minimally invasive "procedure designed to shrink the prostate could offer an alternative to surgery" for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), according to findings presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology annual meeting. The procedure, "prostatic artery embolization" (PAE), uses a catheter "through an artery in the groin to place tiny particles into prostatic arteries." Researchers said that the study, which "involved 84 men" who were followed for nine months, found that "77 men showed excellent improvement, six experienced slight improvement; and one had no improvement." The standard surgery, "transurethral resection of the prostate" (TURP), can cause "sexual dysfunction, urinary incontinence and blood loss." HealthDay (3/29, Gardner) noted that PAE, "which requires only local anesthesia," also lowered the risk of "blood loss and retrograde ejaculation," the researchers said. Moreover, unlike TURP, prostatic artery embolization can be "an outpatient procedure." PAE is "ready to be used in certain patients, namely those with a prostate larger than 60 cubic centimeters, 'with severe lower urinary tract symptoms and a weakened urinary stream,'" said lead study author Dr. Joao Martins Pisco at the annual meeting. "But other experts aren't so sure." According to WebMD (3/29, Goodman), some "experts said it was far too early to recommend PAE to patients. ... 'We really don't know what the short- and long-term success or complication rates are,'" said Anthony Malizia Jr., MD, president and director of the Malizia Clinic in Atlanta. Moreover, Dr. Malizia noted that in "one serious complication reported in the study, the particles appeared to migrate and kill a small part of the bladder wall." MedPage Today (3/29, Fauber) also covered the study.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
New BPH Procedure
Novel procedure may be potential surgery alternative for BPH. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (3/29, Fauber) reported that a new, minimally invasive "procedure designed to shrink the prostate could offer an alternative to surgery" for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), according to findings presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology annual meeting. The procedure, "prostatic artery embolization" (PAE), uses a catheter "through an artery in the groin to place tiny particles into prostatic arteries." Researchers said that the study, which "involved 84 men" who were followed for nine months, found that "77 men showed excellent improvement, six experienced slight improvement; and one had no improvement." The standard surgery, "transurethral resection of the prostate" (TURP), can cause "sexual dysfunction, urinary incontinence and blood loss." HealthDay (3/29, Gardner) noted that PAE, "which requires only local anesthesia," also lowered the risk of "blood loss and retrograde ejaculation," the researchers said. Moreover, unlike TURP, prostatic artery embolization can be "an outpatient procedure." PAE is "ready to be used in certain patients, namely those with a prostate larger than 60 cubic centimeters, 'with severe lower urinary tract symptoms and a weakened urinary stream,'" said lead study author Dr. Joao Martins Pisco at the annual meeting. "But other experts aren't so sure." According to WebMD (3/29, Goodman), some "experts said it was far too early to recommend PAE to patients. ... 'We really don't know what the short- and long-term success or complication rates are,'" said Anthony Malizia Jr., MD, president and director of the Malizia Clinic in Atlanta. Moreover, Dr. Malizia noted that in "one serious complication reported in the study, the particles appeared to migrate and kill a small part of the bladder wall." MedPage Today (3/29, Fauber) also covered the study.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment