A 15-Year Google Trends Analysis of Surgical Treatment Modalities for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in the United States.

BACKGROUND

Background

To evaluate temporal trends in public interest regarding surgical treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in the United States using Google Trends (GT) data from 2010-2025.

METHODS

Relative search volume (RSV) data for Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP), Rezūm®, UroLift, Aquablation, and Prostatic Arterial Embolization (PAE) were extracted from GT between January 2010 and August 2025. Annual mean RSV values were analyzed using descriptive statistics, linear regression, and Pearson correlation. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05.

RESULTS

HoLEP demonstrated a robust and statistically significant upward trajectory throughout the study period (R2 = 0.762; β = 0.873; p < 0.001), reflecting sustained growth in public interest. Rezūm® similarly exhibited a strong and consistent increasing trend (R2 = 0.799; β = 0.894; p < 0.001), indicating a notable expansion in online engagement over time. Aquablation showed a moderate but significant rise in search activity (R2 = 0.549; β = 0.741; p < 0.001), although its overall magnitude of interest remained comparatively lower than other modalities. UroLift demonstrated a significant temporal association (R2 = 0.637; β = 0.798; p = 0.001), despite fluctuations in interest during later years of the study. PAE demonstrated a strong but non-significant upward trend (R2 = 0.788; β = 0.888; p = 0.051), suggesting a more variable pattern of public attention. Correlation analyses further revealed strong inter-modality relationships, particularly between HoLEP and Aquablation (r = 0.948) and between HoLEP and PAE (r = 0.916).

CONCLUSIONS

Rezūm® and Aquablation have experienced rapid growth in recent years, while HoLEP has consistently maintained its importance. UroLift and PAE have exhibited more variable trends. Digital trend analysis is a valuable tool for understanding evolving patient preferences and informing clinical and policy decisions.