Urinary tract obstruction Flashcards
Which 3 overlapping symptoms contribute to Benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate gland enlargement)?
Lower urinary tract symptoms
Bladder outflow obstruction
Benign prostatic enlargement
What is prostate gland enlargement?
A common condition as men get older - 50% of men at 60 years
Characterised by fibromuscular and glandular hyperplasia
Can cause uncomfortable urinary symptoms - for example blockage of outflow tract
How are LUTS symptoms scored?
International Prostate Symptom Score
7 questions related to voiding and storage symptoms - Incomplete emptying, Frequency, Intermittency, Urgency, Weak Stream, Straining + Nocturia
Total score out of 35
Mild - 0-7
Moderate - 8-19
Severe - >20
What voiding symptoms are assessed?
Hesitancy
Poor stream
Terminal dribbling
Incomplete emptying
What storage symptoms are assessed?
Frequency
Nocturia
Urgency
+/- urge incontinence
Physical examinations done for suspected urinary tract obstruction?
Abdomen - do they have a palpable bladder
Penis - is there an external urethral meatal stricture or phimosis
Rectal examination - assess prostate size, feel for any suspicious nodules or firmness
Urinalysis - ? blood, ? signs of UTI
Investigations for urinary tract obstruction
MSSU - mid stream urine sample
Flow rate study
Post-void bladder residual USS
Bloods : PSA, urea and creatinine (if chronic retention)
Renal tract USS if renal failure or bladder stone suspected
Flexible cystoscopy if haematuria (camera to look at bladder)
Urodynamic studies in selected cases
TRUS-guided prostate biopsy => >do this if PSA raised or abnormal rectal exam
What is a PSA blood test?
Prostate specific antigen
Produced by both cancerous and noncancerous tissue - it is age dependent
2 classes of Benign prostate obstruction (BPO)
Complicated
Uncomplicated
Treatment of uncomplicated BPO
Watchful waiting
Medical therapy - 5 alpha reductase inhibitors (Finasteride or Dutasteride), Alpha blockers or Combination
Surgical intervention - TURP, Open retropubic or transvesical prostatectomy, Endoscopic ablative procedures
What is TURP?
Transurethral resection of the prostate - surgery to remove part of the prostate - remains gold standard
Done if prostate size is <100cc
What is the main treatment of LUTS associated with prostate enlargement? Why?
Alpha blockers - help give relief of symptoms and improve QOL
Alpha blockers cause smooth muscle relaxation and antagonise the ‘dynamic’ element to prostatic obstruction.
Smooth muscle of bladder neck (i.e. intrinsic urethral sphincter) and prostate innervated by sympathetic alpha-adrenergic nerves (mostly alpha-1a subtype)
What are the different types of alpha blockers?
Non-selective (i.e. alpha 1 and 2) : phenoxybenzamine
Selective short acting : prazosin, indoramin
Selective long acting : alfuzosin, doxazosin, terazosin
Highly selective (i.e. alpha-1a) : tamsulosin
What do 5a-reductase inhibitors do?
They convert testosterone to dihydrotestosterone which reduces prostate size and the risk of progression of prostate enlargement.
They also reduce LUTS (but not as effective as alpha blockers)
Can also reduce prostatic vascularity and hence reduces haematuria due to bleeding
Potential role in prostate cancer prevention
What is the most effective therapy for reducing the risk of benign prostate enlargement?
Combination therapy of 5ARIs + alpha blockers