The long-term effects of prostatic infarction in the rat.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the long-term effects of infarction, which usually induces organ atrophy, on the prostate by examining the changes occurring in rat ventral prostate after infarction.


METHODS
The unilateral arteriolar branches to the ventral prostate were electrocauterized under an operative microscope in 10 adult rats. The gross and histological changes of the treated lobes of the ventral prostate were compared with those of untreated control lobes in the same rats 12 weeks later.


RESULTS
The size and mean (SD) weight of the treated lobes decreased markedly, to 148 (34) mg, compared with those of the controls, at 698 (62) mg (P<0.01). The treated lobes were composed of both normal and atrophic glandular tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
Prostatic atrophy can be induced by infarction in the rat; prostatic infarction might have potential as a new therapeutic strategy in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Park
M S
MS
Department of Urology, Seoul Municipal Boramae Hospital, Korea.
Lee
A
A
Lee
S E
SE
D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy; D007238:Infarction; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley