LOS ANGELES (April 13, 1999) - 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.
According to Mark Vogel, M.D., Chief, Division of Urology at Cedars-Sinai, "This is a minimally invasive procedure that can be done on an outpatient basis and usually with light anesthesia." According to Dr. Vogel, the procedure has low complication rates and few side effects and enjoys results that are comparable to other current medical and surgical interventions.
BPH affects at least 50 percent of men over the age of 60, and one in four men in the United States will require treatment for this disease by age 80. The disorder is characterized by excess tissue growth in the prostate. Over time, enlargement of the gland squeezes the urethra causing a variety of urinary symptoms, including frequency, urgency and straining to urinate.
Prostatron® therapy is a single, one-hour treatment that typically requires light anesthesia, and enables patients to quickly resume their normal activities. During this procedure, prostate tissue is heated and eliminated, thereby relieving pressure on the urethra and the discomfort and symptoms associated with the pressure. Although Prostatron® therapy is not for every patient with BPH, in carefully selected individuals, it can provide significant benefits.
Clinical trials and other studies indicate that improvement in symptoms can be seen as soon as six weeks after treatment, and further studies of patients evaluated up to five years after the procedure showed the treatment to be effective. Treatment is covered by most insurance plans, as long as the procedure is performed in a Medicare-approved facility (which Cedars-Sinai is).
Prostatron® is manufactured by EDAP Technomed, Inc and received FDA approval in May, 1996. For more information, or for a free referral to a physician who performs 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 surgical procedure)
- Outpatient procedure
- Reduced costs (compared to conventional surgery)
- Preserves sexual function
- Long-lasting results
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