ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This prospective study assessed the efficacy of prostate artery embolization after failure of a trial without catheter in patients suffering a first episode of acute urinary retention as a result of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). METHODS: Patients with failure of a trial without catheter despite alpha-blocker therapy were invited to participate in this protocol. Twenty patients were included in the study, and all underwent prostate artery embolization with calibrated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) microspheres (Bead Block, BTG Ltd., Farnham, UK). RESULTS: Successful removal of the indwelling bladder catheter and spontaneous voiding was achieved in 15 of 20 (75%) patients, and the overall clinical success at 6 months after prostate embolization was 14 of 20 (70%). No patient experienced severe adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Prostate artery embolization might be a valuable treatment after a failure of a trial without catheter. Further studies are needed to better define its place in this setting.
