Prostatic Artery Embolization: A Curse or a Blessing? (European Urology)

Since the advent of medical treatment, established surgical treatments, which provide reliable relief of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO), moved to a later point in the treatment cascade for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)/benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). There is no evidence that this postponement led to deterioration in surgical outcomes [1] and the majority of patients with LUTS/BPH and proven BPO who refuse surgery do not require an operation in the long term [2]. Moreover, transurethral surgery is still associated with a side-effect profile that is deterrent for many men, patient comorbidities and expectations are rising, and treatment of LUTS/BPH represents a profitable and growing market.