Ask to take part

Contact the study team using the details below to take part. If there are no contact details below please ask your doctor in the first instance.

Contact Information:

Dr Clare Louise Bent
-
clare.bent@uhd.nhs.uk


Dr James Coulton
-
james.colton@uhd.nhs.uk


Study Location:

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Cofrestrwch i gael newyddion a gwybodaeth am gymryd rhan mewn ymchwil a’i llywio.

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Be Part of Research - Trial Details - A comparison of two treatments to reduce prostate size and symptoms in men with benign enlargement
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A comparison of two treatments to reduce prostate size and symptoms in men with benign enlargement

Recruiting

Open to: Male

Age: Adult

Bristol Oxford Manchester London Birmingham Southampton Manchester READING London Poole London

Medical Conditions

Prostate artery embolization

This information is provided directly by researchers, and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information. In some summaries, you may come across links to external websites. These websites will have more information to help you better understand the study.


As men get older, it is common for the prostate to become enlarged. This condition is called benign prostate enlargement (BPE) and can cause symptoms such as needing to urinate more often, difficulty starting or stopping urination, or feeling like the bladder hasn’t fully emptied. One way to treat BPE is a procedure called prostate artery embolisation (PAE), which works by blocking the blood supply to the prostate to help shrink it.
This study is testing whether a new type of medical glue works better or worse than the small plastic particles (called microspheres) currently used for this procedure. We want to find out if the glue gives similar symptom relief, is safe, and whether it may offer benefits such as shorter procedure times or longer-lasting results.

Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.  

The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:

02 Jun 2025 03 Mar 2026

Participants who join the study will be randomly assigned to receive one of two types of prostate artery embolisation (PAE) to help relieve urinary symptoms caused by benign prostate enlargement (BPE). One method uses small plastic particles (microspheres), which is the current standard treatment. The other uses a medical glue, which may work faster and provide longer-lasting benefits. Participants will not be told which treatment they receive. Before the procedure, participants will attend a clinic appointment where their medical history will be reviewed, standard health measurements will be taken, and questionnaires about urinary and sexual health will be completed. These questionnaires will be repeated at several points after the procedure to monitor progress.

The procedure involves inserting a small tube into an artery in the wrist or groin. The doctor will guide the tube to the blood vessels that supply the prostate and block them using either the glue or microspheres, depending on the participant’s group. After the procedure, participants will be followed up through a combination of clinic visits and remote check-ins for up to 4 years, with the most contact taking place in the first 6 months. Follow-up includes questionnaires (completed online or by phone) about symptoms and quality of life, and possibly scans at the hospital if these are part of usual care.

Participants are free to withdraw from the study at any time without it affecting their care. Any data collected up to that point will still be valuable for the study.


Men aged 50 or over who have been diagnosed with BPE and referred for PAE by their NHS consultant may be invited to take part. Participants must meet specific criteria to ensure the treatment is suitable and safe. The study team will explain these in more detail at your clinic appointment.

You can take part if:



You may not be able to take part if:


1. Prior surgical BPE treatment including invasive therapy or minimally invasive surgical therapies (MISTs) in the past 12 months 2. Currently using a urinary catheter, either indwelling or intermittent self-catheterisation 3. Suspicion of clinically significant prostate cancer, defined as a Gleason score of ≥7, a tumour volume of ≥0.5cc, or the presence of extraprostatic extension 4. Arterial anatomy preventing pelvic angiography 5. Contraindication to intravascular iodinated contrast, such as allergies or severely elevated creatinine/renal failure 6. History of urethral stricture or its treatment 7. Known or suspected neurogenic bladder dysfunction 8. Uncorrected coagulopathy 9. Allergy to microsphere or glue embolic materials 10. Lacks capacity to consent to the study or comply with the requirements of the study procedures and assessments 11. Participants who are unable to read, speak, or understand English sufficiently to comply with study assessments or provide informed consent


Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.

  • North Bristol NHS Trust
    Southmead Hospital Southmead Road Westbury-on-trym
    Bristol
    BS10 5NB
  • Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
    John Radcliffe Hospital Headley Way Headington
    Oxford
    OX3 9DU
  • The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
    550 Wilmslow Road Withington
    Manchester
    M20 4BX
  • University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
    250 Euston Road
    London
    NW1 2PG
  • University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
    Queen Elizabeth Hospital Mindelsohn Way Edgbaston
    Birmingham
    B15 2GW
  • University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
    Southampton General Hospital Tremona Road
    Southampton
    SO16 6YD
  • Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
    Cobbett House Oxford Road
    Manchester
    M13 9WL
  • ROYAL BERKSHIRE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
    ROYAL BERKSHIRE HOSPITAL LONDON ROAD
    READING
    RG1 5AN
  • Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
    The Bays St Marys Hospital South Wharf Road
    London
    W2 1BL
  • University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
    Management Offices Poole Hospital Longfleet Road
    Poole
    BH15 2JB
  • Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
    249 Westminster Bridge Road
    London
    SE1 7EH

Participants may benefit from a reduction in urinary symptoms related to benign prostate enlargement (BPE), although this cannot be guaranteed. The information collected will help improve understanding of which treatment method offers the best outcomes for future patients.
Prostate artery embolisation (PAE) is a well-established procedure with known risks, which include pain at the access site, post-embolisation symptoms (such as fever, nausea, or pelvic discomfort), temporary difficulty urinating, urinary tract infections (UTIs), or blood in the urine. More serious complications are rare, but all participants will be monitored closely. The glue being tested is already used safely in other procedures, but using it for PAE is a more recent idea and not as well established as PAE using microspheres.
Where is the study run from?
The study is sponsored by University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust and delivered with support from Dorset Clinical Trials Unit, a specialist function embedded within UHD’s R&D team.

Dr Clare Louise Bent
-
clare.bent@uhd.nhs.uk


Dr James Coulton
-
james.colton@uhd.nhs.uk



The study is sponsored by University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust and funded by Guerbet; British Society of Interventional Radiology .



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Read full details for Trial ID: ISRCTN10393701

Or CPMS 59007

Last updated 01 July 2025

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