Minimally invasive surgical treatment options are the wave of the future
With a focus on male voiding dysfunction, the Urological Association of Asia Lecture will outline the current status of the latest minimally invasive surgical treatments for improving outcomes for patients with BPH in Asia.
BPH is a common urological disease affecting older men worldwide. Evidence suggests there were roughly 94 million cases globally in 2019. In the last decade, a new wave of minimally invasive surgical treatment options to resolve bladder neck obstruction caused by BPH have been Food and Drug Administration approved, such as the UroLift system, Rezūm water vapor therapy and the temporarily implanted nitinol device (iTind). Unlike traditional treatments, including transurethral resection of the prostate and laser prostatectomy with holmium, thulium or GreenLight lasers, these MIST procedures do not remove prostate tissue.
“Because the sexual side effects, including retrograde ejaculation and erectile dysfunction, are much less compared to traditional ablative therapy, MISTs are revolutionizing the treatment of BPH and improving patient outcomes and satisfaction,” said Jeff S. Chueh, MD, PhD, professor and chairman of the department of urology at the National Taiwan University College of Medicine in Taipei.
In today’s Urological Association of Asia Lecture, "Experience Sharing of Introducing Minimal Invasive Surgical Treatment for Male Bladder Outlet Obstruction in Asian Countries and Video-Urodynamics Changes Via MIST," Dr. Chueh will present before-and-after urodynamic studies for select patient cases using the UroLift or Rezūm systems he encountered during his tenure at the Cleveland Clinic Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute from 2009 to 2021, and after relocating to the National Taiwan University College of Medicine in Taipei in 2021.
With the UroLift system, tiny implants are surgically inserted through the urethra to lift and hold the enlarged prostate out of the way. Rezūm delivers convection steam to surrounding prostate adenomas to shrink and atrophy tissues. “Both treatments can work well and should be presented to patients in the menu of treatment options for BPH according to AUA guidelines, while explaining the risks and benefits of each treatment,” Dr. Chueh said.
The UAA represents 26 member Asian urological societies. Its partnership with the AUA builds on the mission to promote the highest standards of urological clinical care through education and research across the globe. In today’s UAA lecture, Dr. Chueh, who earned a designation from the UroLift Center of Excellence while practicing at Cleveland Clinic and has performed more than 150 cases with UroLift or Rezūm therapies, will also discuss the potential for global expansion of MISTs. In Taiwan, for example, UroLift was launched in 2023 and Rezūm in 2024, which opens up the opportunity for U.S. urologists who have mastered UroLift or Rezūm to tele-proctor urologists there who are eager to hone their skills, especially for technically challenging cases.
“For both urologists and industry, it’s time to consider Asia as a global partner,” Dr. Chueh said. “Asia is a lucrative market, especially in major cities like Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taipei. In these wealthy Asian zones, there are strong gross domestic products and thus large populations with strong buying power.”
