Intensity that is high Focused Ultrasound is employed to treat prostate cancer for over a decade in Europe, and also has been approved click for Details treatment in Canada after 2003. It is not now available in the U.S. The cure rate using HIFU is similar to the traditional therapy methods of surgery and radiation, but with fewer significant side effects and less detrimental effect on quality of life.
Who can Take advantage of HIFU?
HIFU therapy is usually recommended for patients with localized T1 and T2 stages of prostate cancer. It’s often chosen over more traditional surgical or radiotherapy treatments due to its low complication rate and relatively little chance of substantial side effects.
Where impotence and radiation burns are routine unwanted side effects from traditional treatments, side effects from HIFU are less radical and you will find less occurrences of incontinence and impotency.
High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)
Ablatherm HIFU doesn’t involve surgery but rather utilizes high intensity focused ultrasound waves to destroy cancerous prostate tissue. It’s done on an out-patient basis so there is typically no hospital stay required.
A local spinal anesthetic is utilized in conjunction with sedation through intravenous. A probe is introduced into the individual ‘s rectum & a concentrated beam of ultrasound waves is projected at the cancerous tissue on the prostate. The prostate is located in front of the rectum, therefore the computer guided probe is able to provide the ultrasound waves through the rectal wall. A specially trained urological surgeon controls the procedure.
The prostate tissue targeted is heated to temperatures in excess of 85°C destroying the cancerous cells. This procedure is repeated with a varying focal point until every one of the cancerous material has been heated and destroyed. To treat the whole of the affected prostate area typically takes up to 3 hours.
