Prostatic Arterial Embolization with Small Sized Particles for the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Due to Large Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Preliminary Results

BACKGROUND: The clinical failure after prostatic artery embolization (PAE) with conventional particles was relatively high, in treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). We reported the results of PAE with combined polyvinyl alcohol particles 50 μm and 100 μm in size as a primary treatment in 24 patients with severe LUTS secondary to large BPH. METHODS: From July 2012 to June 2014, we performed PAE in 24 patients (65–85 years, mean 74.5 years) with severe LUTS due to large BPH (≥80 cm(3)) and refractory to medical therapy. Embolization was performed using combination of 50 μm and 100 μm in particles size. Clinical follow-up was performed using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL), peak urinary flow (Q(max)), postvoid residual (PVR) volume, the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), prostatic specific antigen (PSA), and prostatic volume measured by magnetic resonance imaging at 1, 3, 6, and every 6-month thereafter. Technical success was defined when PAE was completed in at least one pelvic side. Clinical success was defined as the improvement of both symptoms and QoL. A Student's t-test for paired samples was used. RESULTS: PAE was technically successful in 22 patients (92%). Bilateral PAE was performed in 19 (86%) patients and unilateral in 3 (14%) patients. Follow-up data were available for 22 patients observed for mean of 14 months. The clinical improvement at 1, 3, 6, and 12-month was 91%, 91%, 88%, and 83%, respectively. At 6-month follow-up, the mean IPSS, QoL, PVR, and Q(max) were from 27 to 8 (P = 0.001), from 4.5 to 2.0 (P = 0.002), from 140.0 ml to 55.0 ml (P = 0.002), and from 6.0 ml/s to 13.0 ml/s (P = 0.001), respectively. The mean prostate volume decreased from 110 cm(3) to 67.0 cm(3) (mean reduction of 39.1%; P = 0.001). The PSA and IIEF improvements after PAE did not differ from pre-PAE significantly. No major adverse events were noted. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of 50 μm and 100 μm particles for PAE is a safe and effective treatment method for patients with severe LUTS due to large BPH, which further improves the clinical results of PAE.