Transurethral microwave thermotherapy [TUMT] for benign prostatic hyperplasia

ABSTRACT

Benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH] is one of the most common diseases of the aging male. Minimally invasive therapies for treatment of BPH compete with the gold standard transurethral resection of the prostate [TURP]. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of transurethral microwave therapy [TUMT] in patients with otherwise poor general health. Thirty [30] patients with associated chronic medical diseases and lower urinary tract symptoms due to BPH were subjected for TUMT as an outpatient single session procedure, from June 2001 to August 2005. Follow up was performed 2 weeks, and then one month following treatment clinically and by assessing residual urine volume, maximal flow rate and prostate size. Out of [28] treated patients, [21] were labeled as non - responders as they were unable to pass urine freely 2-weeks after a trial of decatheterisation. In contrast [7] patients passed urine freely after decatheterisation. In the latter group, it was found that there was no statistical significance of the values of maximum flow rate, residual urine volume or prostate size between pre- and one month post TUMT. TUMT is a possible option for the treatment of BPH in poor general health patients or those refusing other surgical modalities. However, it did not prove to be effective for those patients with chronic urinary retention and BPH