MICROWAVE HYPERTHERMIA IN BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERTROPHY - A CONTROLLEDCLINICAL-TRIAL

Objective To compare the effects of microwave hyperthermia in benign p rostatic hypertrophy (BPH) to sham treatment. Patients and methods The trial included 96 patients with proven symptomatic bladder outflow ob struction (BOG) caused by BPH. Patients underwent a full subjective an d objective assessment (including urodynamics) before inclusion and ag ain 3 and 6 months later. They were randomly assigned to receive 1 h o f microwave hyperthermia or a sham treatment. Of the 96 patients, 93 w ere assessed at 3 months and 62 at 6 months after treatment. Results T here was no statistically significant difference in the objective meas ures of BOO between the treated and control groups of patients. There was an improvement of approximately 40% in all the subjective measures , but there was no significant difference between the treated and cont rol groups. Conclusion Microwave hyperthermia, within the parameters d efined in this trial, resulted in no significant difference from sham treatment in subjective or objective outcome.