OBJECTIVETo study the pathological change of rats' benign hyperplastic prostate (BHP) after radical denervation.

METHODSA total of 65 male spontaneous hypertension rats (SHR) at 30 weeks age were randomly assigned into treatment group, sham surgery control group and normal control group. In surgery group, all the axonal branches of the major pelvic ganglion (MPG) supplying the bilateral prostate were truncated, followed performing of cystostomy; In sham surgery control group, only cystostomy was performed; In normal control group, no procedure was performed. The rats were sacrificed at 3, 7, 11, 15 and >or= 21 d post-operation respectively. The gross morphological changes of prostate in all animals were observed.

RESULTSIn treatment group, the prostate in 3 d post-operation showed granular solidification and shrunken volume and the changes occurred gradually over time. The glandular epithelial cells showed gradual degeneration, necrosis and detachment. The glandular epithelium became progressively thinner, the smooth muscles elongated and thinned progressively and the stromal components showed mild to moderate overgrowth. At the later stage, the glandular epithelium, glandular lumen and smooth muscles gradually disappeared and the prostate was largely replaced by connective tissues. Electron microscopic study showed that the glandular cells gradually underwent vacuolar degeneration and the structures of basement membrane became fuzzy. The smooth muscles cells degenerated overtime and the fibroblasts and collagenous fibers in the stroma overgrew slowly. At the late stage, most of the glandular cells became necrotic, the basal membrane and smooth muscle cells disappeared and collagenous fibers were highly hyperplasic. In surgery group in 3 d post-operation, the S-100 staining of nerve fiber was diffuse and disappeared after 11 d while it persisted normally in other groups. The two values in sham surgery control group showed no significant changes post-operatively.

CONCLUSIONSAfter radical denervation, the rat prostate with benign hyperplasia (gland and smooth muscles) undergoes dramatic atrophic changes and the volume decreases significantly. It suggests that this treatment may represent a novel therapy for BPH.