Radiology, Vol 195, 655-660, Copyright © 1995 by Radiological Society of North America
Self-expandable metallic stents in high-risk patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia: long-term follow-up
HY Song, KS Cho, KB Sung, YM Han, YG Kim and CS Kim
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term clinical utility of self-expandable
metallic Z stents in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). MATERIALS AND
METHODS: Under fluoroscopic guidance, 14 multiple-connected Z stents (10 mm
in diameter fully expanded, 30-60 mm in length) were placed in 13 patients
with bladder obstruction from BPH and high operative risks. The stents were
placed in the prostatic urethra with 2-20-mm protrusion into the urinary
bladder in six patients (group A) and entirely within the prostatic urethra
in seven patients (group B). RESULTS: Eleven of 13 patients could void
immediately, and the other two patients with atonic bladder voided within 8
weeks. Maximum urine flow rates just after stent placement were 8-27
mL/sec. Two patients died of unrelated causes within 2 months. During the
follow-up period (mean, 37 months) in the other 11 patients, all patients
in group A but none in group B underwent surgery owing to stone formation
where the stent protruded into the bladder. CONCLUSION: Expandable Z stents
are effective in patients with BPH but should not protrude into the urinary
bladder because of stone formation.
