HIFU, or High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, allows surgeons to destroy the cancerous prostate gland using the power of ultrasound waves, without an open surgical procedure. Ablatherm is one device used to deliver HIFU to qualifying patients. As a non-invasive treatment option, HIFU using Ablatherm offers excellent results without the risks and side effects of surgery.
How It Works
When a patient comes to his urologist for HIFU treatment, he is placed under spinal and intravenous sedation. This allows the patient to remain still during the procedure, which is vital to success. The surgeon then inserts a probe into the rectum that will deliver the ultrasound waves to a predetermined point in the prostate. This is known as the focal point. At that point, the tissue is heated to the point of destruction, but ultrasound waves can pass through the surrounding tissue without damaging it. This allows for the preservation of other important structures around the prostate, while still offering an effective treatment for prostate cancer.
Benefits of HIFU
The Ablatherm device gives physicians and their patients several benefits. One benefit is the precision that it allows the doctor to use when treating the prostate gland. This makes HIFU using Ablatherm a nerve-sparing treatment that often preserves sexual function. While no prostate cancer technique can promise no risk of side effects, the nature of HIFU makes it one of the least risky treatments on the market.
HIFU can be either partial or complete. This means it can be used to effectively treat prostate cancer as well as BPH and other prostate concerns.
Another benefit is the fact that HIFU is a non-radiation treatment. This means it can be used as a salvage treatment if another prostate cancer treatment fails. It can also be redone if necessary without risk to the patient, should the cancer return.
Benefits of HIFU Using Ablatherm
These benefits are not unique to Ablatherm, as other HIFU treatment devices also offer them. However, Ablatherm offers a few benefits unique to its device. One of these is permanent rectal wall cooling. While the focal point is the only area where tissue is heated to destruction, the ultrasound waves will heat other tissue somewhat. The rectal wall is particularly sensitive to these changes, so the Ablatherm has an active cooling and monitoring system in place.
Ablatherm also offers real-time visualization of what is going on in the prostate gland. This allows the surgeon to adjust treatment as needed based on the body’s response. This can reduce problems like urethra-rectal fistulas that sometimes occur during prostate cancer treatment.
The Ablatherm HIFU device allows the surgeon to place the patient in the optimum position for treatment. By laying the patient on his right side, the surgeon can minimize the influence of air bubbles and other interference while delivering treatment. This maximizes the efficiency and safety of HIFU using Ablatherm.
Ablatherm also utilizes a patient movement detector. If the patient moves, even slightly, during treatment, treatment automatically stops until the surgeon has a chance to make adjustments accordingly. This helps protect against human error during treatment and even small movements that can affect the outcome.
The Ablateherm’s HIFU probe support is a fully robotic device. Once it is inserted into the rectum, the device uses its own technology to deliver the treatment as mapped out by the surgeon, thus further eliminating the risk of human error.
These benefits, combined with the low risks associated with HIFU, are the reasons why we are proud to offer it in our clinic. Call us today to schedule a consultation to discuss HIFU using the Ablatherm device.
