By Dr. Magistro
The development of novel minimally invasive procedures strives for approaches equally effective to standard techniques, but with a more favourable safety profile. Especially the preservation of the sexual function is of special concern for sexually active LUTS patients. With the advent of new techniques, this has become an achievable goal.
Among the new mechanical devices, the prostatic urethral lift (PUL, Urolift®) has become an integral part of international guideline recommendations due to its efficacy and safety confirmed in randomized clinical trials. Devices like the temporary implantable nitinol device (iTind) or the ClearRing are still in its infancy, but the first clinical outcomes are promising. New ablative approaches like the image guided robotic waterjet ablation (AquaBeam®) or procedures based on convective water vapour energy (Rezūm®) gained consideration in current guidelines, but long-term data of their performance compared to reference methods are still missing. Finally, the role of the prostatic artery embolization remains elusive in the management of LUTS due to BPE. However, the clinical assessment of these techniques has progressed substantially, and in the upcoming years we will see which procedure will pass the test of time.
Read more about novel minimally invasive treatment options in the following six articles:
