Experience with a new intraurethral stent for high-risk patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy

Eight patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), considered as a high risk for an operation because of severe accompanying disease, were treated with a self-retaining intraurethral catheter set. Two patients were judged unfit for operation (one because of severe cardiac failure, the other because of severe respiratory failure) and 1 patient rejected an operation. The BPH surgery was postponed in the others because of recent operations for such diseases as gastric cancer or because of severe gastric ulcer. All patients voided freely after stent placement and were continent. The device was left in place for 1 to 16 weeks. The chief complaint was frequency of voiding, with intervals of 1 to 2 hours. Some micturition discomforts such as urgency were recognized in 2 patients, but disappeared within 1 to 2 days. Pyuria observed before treatment disappeared in all but 1 patient. Average residual urine volume calculated on ultrasonograms was 54 ml. Stone formation was demonstrated in 1 patient 9 weeks after placement. We concluded that the intraurethral stent is an effective device for high-risk patients with BPH. However, a longer follow-up study will be needed to exclude late side effects.