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Background: Prostatic artery embolization (PAE) has emerged as a treatment option in the management of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Management guidelines addressing PAE remain mixed with recommendations for more long-term trials comparing the procedure to standard therapies.

Materials and Methods: This review presents PAE indications and technical considerations. To evaluate recent updates to the PAE evidence base, a limited literature search of the last 2 years was conducted. Three recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs), comparing PAE to either transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or sham procedure, were identified and analyzed.

Results: PAE and TURP performed similarly in significant reductions in international prostate symptoms score (IPSS) and Quality of life (QoL) scoring at 3 and 12 months. The majority of improvement after PAE occurred within a few months, with potentially greater effect in patients with larger prostates and severe symptoms. TURP was generally superior in functional outcomes such as peak urinary flow (Qmax), prostate volume (PV) reduction and post void residual (PVR), although TURP patients underperformed in Qmax improvement in one trial. PAE was superior to sham procedure in all relevant outcomes at 6 months. Overall, complication rates were lower with PAE than with TURP.

Conclusions: PAE and TURP produced similar significant improvements in LUTS. Functional improvements favored TURP while complication rates favored PAE. Clinical improvement after PAE significantly surpassed initial placebo effects of sham procedure. Further comparative studies with longer term follow-up are still needed.