Review of current treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia

The treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia is changing, with many new modalities being tested: Some are already used routinely, others are still investigational. Surgery, however, is still the principal treatment, producing an 85-90% improvement in symptoms and urodynamics. Stents are being used more frequently, particularly in patients with a high operative risk. Balloon dilation can be performed in small glands; however, the durability of results remains in doubt. Thermotherapy has been found to produce histologic changes in the prostate and may change the urodynamics as well. Finally, drug treatment, which is currently limited to a-blocking agents and 5 a-reductase inhibitors, has proven to be effective symptomatically, with small, but significant changes in urodynamics.