title: Minimally invasive devices for treating lower urinary tract symptoms in benign prostate hyperplasia: technology update.
abstract: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) represents a spectrum of related lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The cost of currently recommended medications and the discontinuation rate due to side effects are significant drawbacks limiting their long-term use in clinical practice. Interventional procedures, considered as the definitive treatment for BPH, carry a significant risk of treatment-related complications in frail patients. These issues have contributed to the emergence of new approaches as alternative options to standard therapies. This paper reviews the recent literature regarding the experimental treatments under investigation and presents the currently available experimental devices and techniques used under local anesthesia for the treatment of LUTS/BPH in the vast majority of cases. Devices for delivery of thermal treatment (microwaves, radiofrequency, high-intensity focused ultrasound, and the Rezum system), mechanical devices (prostatic stent and urethral lift), fractionation of prostatic tissue (histotripsy and aquablation), prostate artery embolization, and intraprostatic drugs are discussed. Evidence for the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of these "minimally invasive procedures" is analyzed.
authors: Department of Urology, Jules Bordet Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Fouad
authors: F
authors: Aoun
authors: Department of Urology, Jules Bordet Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium ; Department of Urology, Erasme Hospital, University Clinics of Brussels, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Quentin
authors: Q
authors: Marcelis
authors: Department of Urology, Erasme Hospital, University Clinics of Brussels, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Thierry
authors: T
authors: Roumeguère
keywords: benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); experimental therapy; lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS); minimally invasive therapies; new approaches