The UroLume stent in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia

There were 54 patients entered into this study of the UroLume permanent prostatic stent, most of whom were unfit for conventional prostatic surgery. The stents were inserted with the patient under local or regional anesthesia. Of the patients 34 presented in acute retention, 12 had chronic retention, 4 had severe and worsening symptoms, and 4 had symptoms and urodynamic evidence of obstruction occurring in the presence of Parkinson's disease. Following stent insertion 50 patients were able to void satisfactorily, while the remaining 4 presented with chronic retention and detrusor failure. The 40 patients who had no or minimal remaining symptoms were satisfied with the stent. Most patients experienced frequency and urgency of micturition for 1 to 3 months, which resolved in all but 9 patients with persistent severe detrusor instability. Symptom scores decreased to 6.5 (total) at 1 year for nonretention patients and 6.0 for retention patients. Stents were covered with epithelium within 6 to 9 months. However, when the stent was positioned with any part of the proximal end within the bladder or when the stent could not be epithelialized incrustation occurred (14 cases, all of which were asymptomatic). No serious urosepsis was noted in any patient in this study. Six stents were removed endoscopically without difficulty or damage to the urethra at up to 18 months. The implications of these findings to the potential role of the UroLume stent in the management of a wider range of patients with prostatic obstruction are discussed.