INTRODUCTION The options for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) beyond medication and traditional transurethral surgery continue to expand. Undesirable side effects to medication and surgeries have driven interest toward minimally invasive surgical therapies (MISTs), including convective water vapor ablation (Rezum) and prostatic urethral lift (UroLift). While these treatments can be performed outside of the operating room, they do require special equipment and the use of rigid cystoscopy. A new class of treatments, which utilize no special equipment beyond a flexible cystoscope are emerging, the first of which, the temporary implantable nitinol device (iTind) is already FDA approved.
A comprehensive review of the literature using PUBMED, EMBASE, Scopus focused on the two commercially available MISTs, Rezum and UroLift, was performed. Additionally, we evaluated the existing literature for the novel iTind.
UroLift and Rezum have demonstrated significant improvements in validated questionnaires such as IPSS and IPSS QoL. They generally maintain erectile function (IIEF) and ejaculatory function (MSHQ). The short term recovery seems to slightly favor UroLift, while re-treatment rates seem to favor Rezum. The iTind also appears to improve subjective and objectives outcomes, though longer term follow up is still maturing.
The currently available MISTs have changed the way we treat BPH, offering a middle ground for men between oral medial therapy and more invasive transurethral surgery. While these MIST treatments require specialized and costly equipment, the proposed a new category, the True Minimally Invasive Surgical Therapy, or TMIST, offers an off-the-shelf, affordable and comfortable solution for men suffering from LUTS secondary to BPH.
The Canadian journal of urology. 2021 Apr [Epub]
Dean S Elterman, Kevin C Zorn, Bilal Chughtai, Naeem Bhojani
Division of Urology, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.