Apollo Hospitals Bengaluru Performs India’s First EXIME Temporary Prostatic Stent Procedure

Apollo Hospitals, Seshadripuram, Bengaluru, has performed what it describes as India’s first procedure using the EXIME Temporary Prostatic Stent, a minimally invasive option for managing urinary retention associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

The procedure was performed under local anesthesia by a team led by Dr. T. Manohar, Senior Consultant – Urology, Uro-oncology and Transplant Surgery, Apollo Hospitals, Seshadripuram. The patient, a 72-year-old man considered at high risk for surgery, was able to pass urine following placement of the stent and was discharged later the same day.

BPH is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate that can obstruct urine flow and, in some patients, cause acute or chronic urinary retention. These patients may require a urinary catheter to drain the bladder while awaiting further treatment.

The EXIME device is a temporary silicone-based prostatic stent placed within the urethra to help keep the obstructed passage open. Unlike an indwelling urinary catheter connected to an external drainage bag, the stent is designed to allow the patient to pass urine naturally. It may provide a temporary alternative for appropriately selected patients, including those awaiting definitive treatment or considered unsuitable for immediate surgery.

Published clinical studies have evaluated EXIME in men with BPH-related urinary retention. Initial findings suggest that the device can restore spontaneous urination during short-term use. Careful patient selection is essential because temporary prostatic stents are not suitable for everyone. Possible complications include pain, temporary blood in the urine, urinary leakage, stent displacement or expulsion, and difficulty during removal. The device does not reduce the size of the prostate and should generally be regarded as a temporary means of maintaining urine flow rather than definitive treatment for BPH.

The procedure at Apollo Hospitals, Seshadripuram, reflects the growing availability of minimally invasive urological options that can help individualise care for patients with urinary retention.