BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERTROPHY TREATMENT BY TRANSURETHRAL RADIOFREQUENCY HYPERTHERMIA WITH THERMEX-II

We selected 50 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia to be treate d with hyperthermia at 44.5-degrees-C. The treatment was performed wit h Thermex II. We excluded from this study all patients with a suspicio n of prostatic adenocarcinoma or other previous surgical intervention on the prostate and we also excluded patients with pacemakers or coagu lation problems. The follow-up time for these patients was 6 months. T hey were all evaluated by flow rate, measurement of postmicturation re sidue, Madsen score and transrectal sonography at 1, 3 and 6 months. W e did not notice any modification of the prostatic volume, no modifica tion of the urine residue but a moderate improvement of the flow rate. A significant improvement was observed on the symptom score since sub jective symptoms were seen in 68% of the patients. Our results show th at this method of treatment seems to compete with other classic medica l treatments especially in the case of patients with a prostatic adeno ma equal or smaller than 40 g and that hyperthermia is particulary act ive on irritative symptoms but does not compete with classic surgical procedures.