TRANSURETHRAL THERMOTHERAPY OF THE BENIGN PROSTATE HYPERTROPHY CONTROLLED BY RADIOMETRY

Up to now control of the microwave heating of the prostate was only po ssible with rectal or urethral surface catheters. This problem has fin ally been solved with the help of the Prostcare apparatus (Bruker Spec trospin, Wissembourg, France) and radiometry: the prostate can be trea ted by the urethral or endorectal route with a 915-MHz generator and c oaxial antennae, a unique device which allows us to measure real intra prostatic temperature, to regulate the microwave emission power and to eliminate classic surface controls. A sole antenna is used for the ur ethral catheter; it is introduced within the Foley-type probe and allo ws us to heat and measure the heat (radiometry). In this preliminary r eport, we present clinical results of the first 105 treated patients o ver 18 months by the transurethral route in a single 1-hour session: 7 have a protuberant median lobe and the treatment is without any effec t; 76 patients can be analyzed and the Madsen score before treatment, at 3 months and at 6 months moves from 11.2 to 2.5 and 3.1, the maximu m flow rate from 9.6 to 12.3 and 12.5 ml/s, the residue decreases from 102 to 68 and 53 ml. The session is well tolerated and patients menti on that the effects are better than those of medical treatment. Hypert hermia is a simple method that will find its place between medical and surgical treatment once the numerous randomized studies have determin ed the most suitable therapeutic procedures.