The UroLift implant: mechanism behind rapid and durable relief from prostatic obstruction

BACKGROUND: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an affliction of the aging male population that contributes to bothersome and disruptive lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The UroLift® implant has been developed as a mechanical means of widening the prostatic urethra and providing relief from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) through a minimally invasive procedure. METHODS: In the current study, we utilize histological results from canine tissue, resected tissue from human subjects treated with the UroLift System and post-market surveillance data collected by the manufacturer in order to elucidate the long-term biological mechanism of action of the UroLift implant. RESULTS: The delivery of the implant causes tissue compression, likely resulting in focal ischemia that causes observed local atrophy and minimal-mild chronic inflammation that ultimately remodels tissue to produce a widened prostatic urethra. CONCLUSIONS: These studies reveal the lack of impact the device has on systemic tissue, providing evidence that the UroLift System is benign and biocompatible, and offering histologic explanation for the clinically observed durability.