ABLATION OF SUPERFICIAL BLADDER-TUMORS WITH FOCUS EXTRACORPOREAL PYROTHERAPY

Objectives, We report the first experimental studies of focused extrac orporeal pyrotherapy. Methods. focused extracorporeal pyrotherapy has been used to treat superficial bladder tumors in a Phase II protocol i n 25 patients. In 5 cases, for technical reasons, pyrotherapy was not used. In 20 patients (10 under general anesthesia and 10 under spinal anesthesia), the mean treated volume was 3 cm(3) with an average of 30 0 shots and a mean skin focused length of 90 mm. Treatment time was 44 minutes; hospital stay was 2 days. Postoperatively, two skin burns an d one acute retention were observed. Results, Of 20 patients, 15 (75%) had a normal urinary cytology bladder ultrasonography and cystoscopy at 1 month. in 67% of patients with primary tumor, there was no recurr ence at 1 year; 33% had recurrent tumors. No infiltrative tumor or met astases have been observed during this follow-up (3 to 21 months). Con clusions, These encouraging results show that ablation of superficial bladder tumor is feasible, The technique must be improved to allow tre atment of larger tumor volume in a shorter time.