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OBJECTIVE To investigate the feasibility and clinical outcome of extracorporeal shock‐wave therapy (ESWT) for patients suffering from chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). PATIENTS AND METHODS The study included 34 patients who had had CPPS for ≥3 months, who were investigated in two subsequent studies. ESWT was administered using a perineal approach with two different standard ESWT devices with and without an ultrasonographic positioning system. The follow‐up was at 1, 4 and 12 weeks after ESWT, to evaluate the effects on pain, quality of life and voiding. Imaging studies and changes in prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) were used to investigate the safety and side‐effects of ESWT. RESULTS All patients completed the treatments and follow‐up; there were statistically significant improvements in pain and quality of life after ESWT. Voiding conditions were temporarily improved but with no statistical significance. Perineal ESWT was easy and safe to administer with no anaesthesia on an outpatient basis. Side‐effects could be excluded clinically, by imaging studies and by changes in PSA level. CONCLUSION Perineal ESWT must be considered as a promising new therapy for CPPS, in particular as it is easy to apply and causes no side‐effects.

Introduction: The study aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of treatment with extract of Serenoa repens (Prostamol Uno) in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) induced by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Patients and Methods: We studied 120 patients with mild or moderate LUTS induced by BPH, maximal urinary flow (Q_max) <15 ml with a voided volume ≧150 ml, prostate-specific antigen <4 ng/ml, and residual urinary volume <150 ml, treated daily for 24 months with one capsule of 320 mg ethanolic extract of Serenoa repens. Results: Statistically significant improvements in the International Prostate Symptom Score (5.5 points), quality of life (QoL; 1.8 points), Q_max (5.6 ml/s), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF; 6.4 points) and reduction in residual urinary volume were observed during the study period. The mean prostate volume at 24 months was 36 ml, compared to 39.8 ml at baseline. Conclusions: Long-term treatment with 320 mg ethanolic extract of Serenoa repens proved to be efficient in reducing urinary obstruction, improving symptomatology and QoL of BPH patients. It also had a positive effect on sexual function, demonstrated by the statistically significant increase in the IIEF.

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