[Clinical evaluation of balloon dilatation in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia]

Balloon dilatation of the urethra was performed on 38 patients (aged 61 to 89 years) with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Of the 38 patients, 34 (89.5%) achieved improvement of symptoms including urinary retention and difficulty on urination and no recurrence of symptoms was observed during a follow-up period. The maximum flow rate remarkably increased after the treatment in the patients and there was no increase of residual urine volume in 17 patients followed up for 6 to 12 months. The balloon dilatation of the prostatic urethra proved to be useful for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.