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Prostatic Tissue Elimination After Prostatic Artery Embolization (PAE): A Report of Three Cases
Leandro Cardarelli Leite1, Andre Moreira de Assis1, Airton Mota Moreira1
1Department of Radiology, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Dr. Eneas de Carvalho Aguiar, 255, Sao Paulo, SP, 05403-001, Brazil.
Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology
|February 9, 2017
Summary
Spontaneous prostatic tissue elimination via the urethra can occur after prostatic artery embolization (PAE) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This complication, while rare, can lead to significant LUTS improvement after tissue expulsion.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Interventional Radiology
- Medical Device Technology
Background:
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition causing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).
- Prostatic artery embolization (PAE) is an established treatment for BPH, involving the embolization of prostatic arteries to reduce prostate size.
- PAE is generally considered a safe and effective minimally invasive procedure.
Observation:
- Three patients undergoing PAE for BPH experienced spontaneous elimination of prostatic tissue through the urethra during voiding.
- These patients presented with intermittent LUTS fluctuations before expelling the tissue fragments.
- Tissue expulsion occurred between 1 and 5 months post-PAE.
Findings:
- The embolization utilized microspheres ranging from 100 to 500 μm.
- Following the expulsion of prostatic tissue, all three patients showed significant improvement in LUTS.
- Urodynamic parameters also demonstrated notable improvement post-tissue elimination.
Implications:
- Urethral obstruction due to sloughing prostatic tissue is a potential complication of PAE.
- This complication should be considered in the differential diagnosis of recurrent LUTS following PAE.
- Awareness of this complication can prevent misdiagnosis and inappropriate management strategies.
