Efficacy of prostatic artery embolization in symptomatic benign enlargement of prostate (>100 cc): A hospital-based prospective study in a tertiary care center

Abstract

Background: Prostatic artery embolization (PAE) has recently emerged as an effective minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of patients with symptomatic benign enlargement of prostate (BEP). Aim and Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of PAE in BEP patients. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational clinical study was conducted at tertiary care hospital over 1-year from April 2022 to March 2023. This study included patients with lower urinary tract symptoms indicative of BEP and a prostate volume of 100 cc or more. The primary endpoints of the study were determining the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Q-max, prostate volume, intraprostatic resistive index, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Results: A total of 21 patients, with a mean age of 72 years were included in the study. After a 6-month follow-up, 15 patients were catheter-free, while 6 patients required adjunctive surgical treatment in the form of transurethral resection of prostate or holmium enucleation of prostate. The mean IPSS significantly decreased from 22 to 8 after PAE (P = 0.0394 Mean Q-max significantly increased from 8 mL/s to 16 mL/s (P = 0.05), while prostate volume decreased significantly at 6 months' follow-up (122.0 cc vs. 58.0 cc, P = 0.0334). Intraprostatic resistive index showed a statistically significant increase after embolization of unilateral/bilateral prostatic arteries. 0.62 versus 1.34, P = 0.0317, and serum PSA values were comparable pre- and post- PAE. Conclusion: PAE effectively treats symptomatic BEP with a prostatic volume of 100cc or more, achieving a success rate of 71.5% with improvements in IPSS, increased Q-max values, and reduced prostate size.

Keywords

• benign enlargement of prostate
• lower urinary tract symptoms
• prostatic artery embolization
• trial without catheter