Temporary Prostate Stent Alleviates Bladder Obstruction

A novel stent helps maintain urine flow and allow for voluntary urination in male patients experiencing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

The Spanner Temporary Prostatic Stent is an alternative to both indwelling Foley catheters and intermittent urinary catheters for male patients with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). It consists of two anchors and a silicone tube designed to reduce resistance in the bladder neck and prostatic urethra, without stenting the external sphincter. The Spanner is placed blindly without anesthesia, similar to the placement of a Foley catheter, and is a completely internal device that allows patients to naturally fill and empty their bladders, often without device awareness.


Indications for use include relieving LUTS in patients in temporary urinary retention, including those recovering from surgical procedures; reducing infection risk and medical complication in patients awaiting procedures for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); long-term symptom relief for patients unfit for prostate procedures; and as an aid in predicting BPH procedure outcomes in high-risk surgical candidates. The Spanner Temporary Prostatic Stent is a product of SRS Medical (Billerca, MA, USA), and has received by the European Community CE mark of approval.

“The Spanner is proven to have significant impact on medical outcomes, and often has a transformational impact on patient quality of life,” said Lee Brody, CEO of SRS Medical. “We are excited to receive this approval, and we look forward to working with our European partners to deliver The Spanner to the patients that will benefit from it the most.”

BPH is the most common cause of bladder outlet obstruction in men, causing a blockage that slows or stops urine flow out of the bladder. The urine can back up in the urinary system, leading to difficulty urinating and other uncomfortable urinary symptoms. Emergency treatment includes insertion of a catheter through the urethra and into the bladder to drain it.

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