[THe clinical aspects of benign prostatic hypertrophy: the times are changing]

To determine if the incidence of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) had increased in the general population and to reevaluate the therapeutic approaches, we reviewed and compared the clinical records, surgical procedures and therapeutic results achieved in 198 patients that had undergone surgery in 1980 (52 patients) and 1990 (146 patients). We observed that the number of BPH procedures had increased in 1990. These, however, had been performed earlier in the course of the disease, in younger patients with more severe, but better controlled pathologies.