Prostatic stents for benign prostatic hyperplasia

Treatment options for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) have developed rapidly over the past several years. These options include surgical intervention, medical therapy, and minimally invasive modalities such as prostatic stents. Prostatectomy remains the treatment of choice for symptoms that are the result of bladder outflow obstruction, with success rates of 85-90%. Medical therapy with selective alpha-1 antagonists, 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, LHRH antagonists, antiandrogens, and aromatase inhibitors have increased in popularity and are mainly used to treat patients with mild to moderate prostatic obstruction. Prostatic urethral stents have recently emerged as an alternative treatment for BPH throughout Europe and Asia, but few investigators have used prostatic stents in the United States because of strict regulatory forces and a debate concerning the indications for these devices. The possibility of providing a treatment option for BPH to patients who are frail and elderly, as well as to patients with multiple medical problems, has prompted enthusiasm toward prostatic stents in the urologic community. The focus of this review will be an up-to-date discussion of the types of prostatic stent available, including a review of recent clinical trials involving the use of each available stent.