Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Now Offers Microwave Thermotherapy For Treatment Of Prostate Disease
- Date:
- April 13, 1999
- Source:
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Summary:
- A new non-surgical treatment option that utilizes microwave thermotherapy to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) -- the common, non-cancerous condition of an enlarged prostate gland in older men -- is now available at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Cedars-Sinai is one of the first facilities in Southern California to treat BPH non-surgically using the Prostatron®, a state-of-the-art medical device that delivers microwave energy to targeted areas of the enlarged prostate. A medical breakthrough in prostate disease therapy, the Prostatron® is unique in its ability to effectively heat and eliminate excess prostate tissue, while protecting adjacent tissues with a patented cooling system.
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LOS ANGELES (April 13, 1999) - A new non-surgical treatment option that utilizesmicrowave thermotherapy to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) -- thecommon, non-cancerous condition of an enlarged prostate gland in older men -- isnow available at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Cedars-Sinai is one of the firstfacilities in Southern California to treat BPH non-surgically using theProstatron®, a state-of-the-art medical device that delivers microwave energy totargeted areas of the enlarged prostate. A medical breakthrough in prostatedisease therapy, the Prostatron® is unique in its ability to effectively heatand eliminate excess prostate tissue, while protecting adjacent tissues with apatented cooling system.
According to Mark Vogel, M.D., Chief, Division of Urology at Cedars-Sinai, "Thisis a minimally invasive procedure that can be done on an outpatient basis andusually with light anesthesia." According to Dr. Vogel, the procedure has lowcomplication rates and few side effects and enjoys results that are comparableto other current medical and surgical interventions.
BPH affects at least 50 percent of men over the age of 60, and one in four menin the United States will require treatment for this disease by age 80. Thedisorder is characterized by excess tissue growth in the prostate. Over time,enlargement of the gland squeezes the urethra causing a variety of urinarysymptoms, including frequency, urgency and straining to urinate.
Prostatron® therapy is a single, one-hour treatment that typically requireslight anesthesia, and enables patients to quickly resume their normalactivities. During this procedure, prostate tissue is heated and eliminated,thereby relieving pressure on the urethra and the discomfort and symptomsassociated with the pressure. Although Prostatron® therapy is not for everypatient with BPH, in carefully selected individuals, it can provide significantbenefits.
Clinical trials and other studies indicate that improvement in symptoms can beseen as soon as six weeks after treatment, and further studies of patientsevaluated up to five years after the procedure showed the treatment to beeffective. Treatment is covered by most insurance plans, as long as theprocedure is performed in a Medicare-approved facility (which Cedars-Sinai is).
Prostatron® is manufactured by EDAP Technomed, Inc and received FDA approval inMay, 1996. For more information, or for a free referral to a physician whoperforms the Prostatron® procedure, please call 1-800-CEDARS-1 (1-800-233-2771).
Patient benefits to Prostatron® Therapy include:
- Fewer complications than surgery
- Less recovery time than surgery
- Reduced need for surgery
- Usually requires only light anesthesia
- Shortened procedure time (about an hour, compared to a two-hour surgicalprocedure)
- Outpatient procedure
- Reduced costs (compared to conventional surgery)
- Preserves sexual function
- Long-lasting results
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