Clinical Results After Prostatic Artery Embolization Using the PErFecTED Technique: A Single-Center Study

Background Prostatic artery embolization (PAE) has been performed for a few years, but there is no report on PAE using the PErFecTED technique outside from the team that initiated this approach. Objective This single-center retrospective open label study reports our experience and clinical results on patients suffering from symptomatic BPH, who underwent PAE aiming at using the PErFecTED technique. Materials and Methods We treated 32 consecutive patients, mean age 65 (52-84 years old) between December 2013 and January 2015. Patients were referred for PAE after failure of medical treatment and refusal or contraindication to surgery. They were treated using the PErFecTED technique, when feasible, with 300-500 mu m calibrated microspheres (two-night hospital stay or outpatient procedure). Follow-up was performed at 3, 6, and 12 months. Results We had a 100 % immediate technical success of embolization (68 % of feasibility of the PErFecTED technique) with no immediate complications. After a mean follow-up of 7.7 months, we observed a 78 % rate of clinical success. Mean IPSS decreased from 15.3 to 4.2 (p = .03), mean QoL from 5.4 to 2 (p = .03), mean Qmax increased from 9.2 to 19.2 (p = .25), mean prostatic volume decreased from 91 to 62 (p = .009) mL. There was no retrograde ejaculation and no major complication. Conclusion PAE using the PErFecTED technique is a safe and efficient technique to treat bothersome LUTS related to BPH. It is of interest to note that the PErFecTED technique cannot be performed in some cases for anatomical reasons.