Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Urolift: a New Face of Minimally Invasive Surgical Technique for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?

  • Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (K McVary, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Urology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The management of clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) remains a common problem in daily urologic practice. Recently, a new minimally invasive procedure for BPH, the Urolift System, has been introduced. This article reviews the current literature discussing the technique, efficacy, adverse events, limitations, and possible concerns. The existing data which includes a 3-month, sham-controlled multicenter trial with a subsequent 3-year follow-up indicates significant improvements in the outcome measures in particular urinary symptoms. The adverse event profile and reoperation rates are acceptable. A particular benefit includes the lack of negative effects on erectile or ejaculatory function. The procedure can be performed with minimal anesthesia, but is limited to lateral lobe enlargement as it is unsuitable for median lobe or central zone obstruction. Another potential drawback is the placement of permanent implants into the prostatic urethra. The adoption of this procedure will ultimately be determined by multiple factors including ease of use, patient satisfaction, durability, and reimbursement.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. Roehrborn CG. Current medical therapies for men with lower urinary tract symptoms and benign prostatic hyperplasia: achievements and limitations. Rev Urol. 2008;10:14.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Zlotta AR, Egawa S, Pushkar D, et al. Prevalence of inflammation and benign prostatic hyperplasia on autopsy in Asian and Caucasian men. Eur Urol. 2014;66:619.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. McConnell JD, Roehrborn CG, Bautista OM, et al. The long-term effect of doxazosin, finasteride, and combination therapy on the clinical progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia. N Engl J Med. 2003;349:2387.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. McVary KT, Roehrborn CG, Avins AL, et al. Update on AUA guideline on the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. J Urol. 2011;185:1793.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Gerber GS, Contreras BA, Rukstalis DB. Ambulatory urodynamic evaluation of men with lower urinary tract symptoms treated with doxazosin. Tech Urol. 1997;3:164.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Gerber GS, Kim JH, Contreras BA, et al. An observational urodynamic evaluation of men with lower urinary tract symptoms treated with doxazosin. Urology. 1996;47:840.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Roehrborn CG. Male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Med Clin North Am. 2011;95:87.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Rosen RC, Fitzpatrick JM, A.-L. S. Group. Ejaculatory dysfunction in men with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia. BJU Int. 2009;104:974.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Leliefeld HH, Stoevelaar HJ, McDonnell J. Sexual function before and after various treatments for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. BJU Int. 2002;89:208.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Marra G, Sturch P, Oderda M, et al. Systematic Review of lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia surgical treatments on men’s ejaculatory function: time for a bespoke approach? Int J Urol. 2016;23(1):22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. McMahon CG. Management of ejaculatory dysfunction. Intern Med J. 2014;44(2):124.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Sturch P, Woo HH, McNicholas T, et al. Ejaculatory dysfunction after treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms: retrograde ejaculation or retrograde thinking? BJU Int. 2015;115(2):186.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Barkin J, Giddens J, Incze P, et al. UroLift system for relief of prostate obstruction under local anesthesia. Can J Urol. 2012;19(2):6217.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Rukstalis DB. Prostatic urethral lift: a novel approach for managing symptomatic BPH in the aging man. Can J Urol. 2015;22:67.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Woo HH, Chin PT, McNicholas TA, et al. Safety and feasibility of the prostatic urethral lift: a novel, minimally invasive treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BJU Int. 2011;108(1):82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. McNicholas TA, Woo HH, Chin PT, et al. Minimally invasive prostatic urethral lift: a surgical technique and multinational experience. Eur Urol. 2013;64(2):292. Describes the prostatic urethral lift procedure and its outcomes across various institutions and countries and is more likely to represent outcomes in the community versus outcomes from someone who may have more experience performing the procedure.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Roehrborn CG, Gange SN, Shore ND, et al. The prostatic urethral lift for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms associated with prostate enlargement due to benign prostatic hyperplasia: the L.I.F.T. study. J Urol. 2013;190:2161.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Cantwell AL, Bogache WK, Richardson SF, et al. Multicentre prospective crossover study of the ‘prostatic urethral lift’ for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. BJU Int. 2014;113(4):615.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Roehrborn CG, Gange SN, Shore ND, et al. Durability of the prostatic urethral lift: 2-year results of the L.I.F.T. study. Urol Pract. 2015;2:26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Chin PT, Bolton DM, Jack G, et al. Prostatic urethral lift: two-year results after treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Urology. 2012;79(1):5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Roehrborn CG, Rukstalis DB, Barkin J, et al. Three year results of the prostatic urethral L.I.F.T. study. Can J Urol. 2015;22(3):7772. Describes 3-year outcome for prostatic urethral lift procedure and offers some insight into the durability of the procedure.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Sonksen J, Barber NJ, Speakman MJ, et al. Prospective, randomized, multinational study of prostatic urethral lift versus transurethral resection of the prostate: 12-month results from the BPH6 study. Eur Urol. 2015;68(4):643.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. McVary KT, Gange SN, Shore ND, et al. Treatment of LUTS secondary to BPH while preserving sexual function: randomized controlled study of prostatic urethral lift. J Sex Med. 2014;11:279.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Perera M, Roberts MJ, Doi SAR, et al. Prostatic urethral lift improves urinary symptoms and flow while preserving sexual function for men with benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Urol. 2014;67:704. Demonstrates the minimal impact of prostatic urethral lift on sexual function while improving urinary symptoms in men.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Shore N, Freedman S, Gange S, et al. Prospective multi-center study elucidating patient experience after prostatic urethral lift. Can J Urol. 2014;21(1):7094.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Ray, A., Morgan, H., Wilkes, A. et al. The Urolift system for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia: a NICE medical technology guidance. Appl Health Econ Health Policy, Published online January 30, 2016.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lenox Hill Hospital, 100 East 77th Street, New York, NY, 10075, USA

    Johnson F. Tsui & Christopher M. Dixon

  2. Phelps Memorial Hospital, 777 North Broadway, Sleepy Hollow, NY, 10591, USA

    Christopher M. Dixon

Authors
  1. Johnson F. Tsui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christopher M. Dixon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher M. Dixon.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

Johnson F. Tsui declares no potential conflicts of interest.

Christopher Dixon is a paid consultant for NxThera Inc.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tsui, J.F., Dixon, C.M. Urolift: a New Face of Minimally Invasive Surgical Technique for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?. Curr Urol Rep 17, 63 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-016-0619-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-016-0619-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation