This is from the Dailymail : Hope for millions of men with enlarged prostates as scientists discover the gland can be shrunk with direct injections of alcohol Injecting ethanol directly into the prostate could shrink it by more than a third And it reduces how often men need to get up in the night to urinate One expert said the pioneering treatment is 'excellent news' 'Ethanol injection can be an effective, non-surgical alternative in treatment of patients with [an enlarged prostate].' The scientists tested the therapy on 60 middle-aged men by injecting nine shots of pure alcohol – ethanol – directly into their prostates through the rectum. Their prostates were around 35 per cent smaller on average. Doctors suggest this reduction is caused by the alcohol killing off unwanted cells, shrinking any swelling. And the men suffered from 48 per cent fewer symptoms, which can include difficulty urinating and needing the toilet frequently. There were no severe side-effects of the jab, whereas some currently-used drugs can reduce men's sex drives.'
Hello Hank
This is very interesting.
Thank you. You gave me something else to research tonight. This would be a great thing for men with BPH. It would go down with the less evasive procedure. A new start. It would give men that want relief without having surgery or side effects.
It could be used also for men that can't have surgery or men in there 80's or 90's.
Thanks again...Ken
Old news... Please follow this about ethanol injections:
https://prostate.net/articles/prostate-injections-benign-prostatic-hyperplasia-bph
Hey Hank
Did some reading on this subject.
I found out that something like this was around before. There was a trail done in 2001 but was done in a different way. It was delivered somewhat like the Rezum procedure through the urethra with a curved needle.
There was also a trail done in 2017 in Venezuela on 19 men. There may be more still looking.
They changed it to giving the shots through the rectum. You have to have 9 shots. But it does not say if it is because of the size of the prostate. They did say that injecting pure alcohol into the prostate can provide good results in unblocking the bladder.
I'm going to see if I can find anything else out on this. It may be approved faster because the cost would be low and it could be done in the office. I may be sending a e-mail out to the doctor to see when it will be coming to the UK & US
I am going to keep a eye out............................Ken
Injection therapy has been around for many years but finding a doctor that does it will take some work. Here is an article from the NIH: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2684358/
There were phase 1 and 2 clinical trials but the results were not posted: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00037141
I have asked urologists I've seen about this over the past 5+ years, none of them knew much (or anything) about it and were not offering it.
This is the recent DailyMail article originally referenced: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6535371/Injecting-alcohol-rectum-help-millions-men-enlarged-prostates.html
If anyone has had this treatment, please post some information/details.
A number of hoaxes have been seen here. Urologists are still in business.
It does appear that ethanol has been tested several times in the past 20 years or so. Here is an excerpt from a recent article that probably sums up the reason that we're not offered that option now: Ethanol. This agent was the first one to be tried for LUTS/BPH. Once it demonstrated serious although rare side effects, it was discontinued as a potential course of treatment. Still, it's an interesting concept. I predict that someday this type of simple and effective treatment will be available. I like the idea of reducing the volume of the prostate this way. The Rezum process is very much similar, but with a couple of advantages. The steam is a benign 'chemical' that can't by itself cause any side effects. Also, the steam is injected in the parts of the prostate that are adjacent to the urethra, where the size reduction is needed the most. As I see it, the only disadvantages to the Rezum are that 1. some uros still try to do it with local anesthesia, which isn't always effective and 2. it takes some time for the swelling to go down and for the body to eliminate the necrotized prostate cells, so it almost always requires a temporary catheterization whether CIC or Foley. I suppose that I could also add a third caveat, the skill and experience of the surgeon, but that applies to all of the currently available BPH procedures.
Thanks Ken for following up. I think what's new is via rectum instead of via urethra as in 2001. It would be great if there are trials with this new approach.
Thanks Lester. It's always good to have a skeptic around. 😀
I am open to any ideas. I just won't jump in until there are more concrete tested evidence.
Ken, this new approach is going through the rectum. Perhaps they get the idea from FLA. I always hope for something less invasive.
Hank
No problem. I sent one email out. I am going to see if I can find the trail they did in 2017 and see what doctor are on there.
I will let you know....Ken
Hank
I know there has to be some truth in it.
I read 5 articles on this subject in Urology newspapers that have been out for years
Well have to just wait an see where it go
All the best.Ken
Hank, I have seen a lot of such reports and I was always right. I am 89 years old and the longer one lives the more one learns. Hope you can prove me wrong this time.
Hank
Yes that is true I hope it becomes reality.
I'm trying to find out more information on the delivery of the procedure. Do they give you a block in the prostate first before they do the 9 injections. I think that would be painful to go through.
I know when my one clip let loose my doctor tried to put it back on my prostate . It was not a walk in the park. He did not give me anything I just told him since your in there go ahead. He was doing a scope to check my stricture. I never new it was off.
Only time will tell Ken
Lester
I'm happy for you that you have lived so long. We can learn from men of age. My Father died at 82 never had a prostate problem. I use to like to listen to him talk about the good old days. He was born in 1917. Been gone 20 years.
But if this is true think of the men of your age that would be helped. I think no man should have to go through any surgery over 80 there is to much that can go wrong.
This procedure would help many young and older men with there problems with less complication.
Only time will tell. Lest hope next year will be good for all of us....Ken
, thanks for the news Hank do you know who might be providing these treatments? I wonder if it is dishes permanent reduction or if as most of my activities that wears off with the alcohol? Have a great holiday season. Good to hear from you
I am still learning and I would bet on you over me, being right this time. 😀 However, I wouldn't rule it out yet.
I found this on the subject. www dot nlm dot nih dot gov m pubmed 17619720
John, good to hear from you. I only know from the article mentioned above. Here is more of it: "Researchers from University Hospital Caracas in Venezuela found the injection – for which they used a 25cm needle – could shrink swollen prostates as well as drugs. And it reduced their needs for night-time toilet visits by almost half, The Sun reported." As far as the durability, I found a trial study that indicated very good results up to 54 months, for similar procedure that went through the urethra. It's called TEAP. Hank