Evaluation and results of treatments for prostatism

Men with symptoms of prostatism form a heterogenous group. The best treatment of proven obstruction or retention in fit men remains transurethral prostatectomy (TURP). Men presenting with symptoms of prostatism may have bladder outflow obstruction, detrusor instability or weak bladder contraction leading to low pressure/low flow voiding so it is perhaps not surprising that only 75% of men selected for TURP purely on the basis of symptoms have a good outcome. Pressure flow studies are the only precise method of diagnosing outflow obstruction. The problem of accurately diagnosing obstruction before treatment is started applies particularly to trials of new treatments such as lasers, high energy focused ultrasound and drugs. Laser treatment is producing short term results that are slightly inferior to TURP but may have less morbidity. The role of conservative treatment is important in selected men. Men who have severe intercurrent illness may be treated by means of intra-prostatic stents. In order to accurately assess a new treatment it is necessary to determine the short-term mortality, the morbidity, complication rate and outcome as well as the cost-effectiveness, long-term outcome and patient preference. These conditions have not yet been met for any of the new treatments for prostatism.