The Urolume as a means of treating urinary outflow obstruction and its impact on waiting lists

To evaluate the effectiveness of the prostatic stenting device--the Urolume--both in terms of relief from urinary outflow obstruction and as a means of reducing waiting lists.

A group of 70 men from the long-term waiting list were chosen for this study. The Urolume, a mesh tube of biomedical superalloy, was successfully introduced in 60 of these patients. The majority had the procedure performed as a day case, under a general anaesthetic.

Seventy-two per cent of patients were symptomatically better when assessed at 6 weeks and their mean peak urinary flow rates had doubled. Early problems included haematuria, urge incontinence and dysuria. Stent displacement necessitating removal occurred in 10 patients.

This technique offers the surgeon a quick and atraumatic method of relieving urinary outflow obstruction. There are, however, a number of problems associated with this technique which will probably be overcome by modification to the Urolume. As a result of our project, the waiting time for prostatic surgery was reduced from 3 years to under 2 years.