ArticleAdvances in urology2026
Drug-Coated Balloon (Optilume
Article in Advances in urology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Drug-Coated Balloon (OptilumeAdvances in urology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Bulbar urethral strictures are a common cause of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) in men and frequently recur after standard endoscopic treatments. There is growing interest in identifying less invasive techniques that provide durable outcomes compared to conventional endoscopic methods. Optilume has shown favorable outcomes in prospective trials, but real-world evidence, especially including treatment-naïve patients, remains limited. Methods: We performed a retrospective study in two German urology practices, including 40 men with symptomatic bulbar urethral strictures. Symptoms were assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and IPSS-derived quality-of-life (QoL) score at baseline and at follow-up. The primary endpoints were changes in IPSS and QoL; secondary endpoints included reintervention and safety. Nonparametric paired testing (Wilcoxon) and correlation analysis (Pearson) were applied. Results: Median follow-up was 29.5 months. IPSS improved from a median of 19.5 (2-35) to 6.0 (0-26), and QoL improved from 5.0 (0-6) to 1.0 (0-5) ( Conclusions: Optilume demonstrated excellent mid-term outcomes (median follow-up: 29.5 months) in the treatment of bulbar urethral strictures, with significant improvements in symptom burden and QoL and a low reintervention rate (2.5%) in a real-world two-center cohort with a nonsignificant trend toward greater symptomatic improvement in treatment-naïve individuals. These findings support Optilume as a viable minimally invasive option. Larger prospective studies incorporating stricture-specific patient-reported outcome measures and comparative designs are needed to confirm long-term effectiveness, cost considerations, and optimal patient selection.
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Registered trials
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