The standard treatment for BPH is the transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or a modified form of it such as laser prostatectomy (PVP , HoLAP). While quite safe, these procedures require an anesthetic and must be done in an in-patient or out-patient hospital setting. These procedures are usually not indicated in medically high risk patients. TURP is associated with complications such as bleeding, infection, prolonged catheterization, stricture formation and the occasional need for readmission to the hospital to manage complications.
The trade-off of reduced risk for efficacy is a common phenomenon among patients who do not want the risks of surgery. One trade-off is watchful waiting. Another one is medical therapy with various medications such as alpha-blockers (terazosin, doxazosin, tamsulosin) and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (finasteride). The long-term outcomes and efficacy of medical therapy are still being evaluated. It is clear however that medical therapy does not achieve the same superior results as transurethral prostatectomy. In addition, with medical therapy, patients must adhere to a long-term and strict medication schedule that can be quite expensive in addition to the potential of significant side-effects to the medication being taken.
New therapies such as TUMT aim at offering BPH patients who do not want surgery, a one-time, safe and effective alternative to watchful waiting or medical therapy.
TUMT is performed in the office. Mild sedation and local anesthesia are used for patient comfort. A specially designed urethral catheter is inserted in the bladder allowing a microwave antenna imbedded within the catheter to be positioned adjacent to the enlarged prostate. Microwave energy is used to create a temperature of 50° C that causes destruction of the enlarged prostate tissue. The procedure takes about one hour to perform. It is a minimally invasive procedure with minimal morbidity and mortality. TUMT is not a substitute for TURP or laser prostatectomy. TUMT achieves a result somewhere between that obtained by medical therapy and TURP. It takes about 6-8 weeks to achieve the expected result after the procedure.
Associated Urologists of Orange County are pleased to offer this new technique to patients who qualify for it. We have selected the TherMatrx DOT unit to perform TUMT because of its superior technical and safety profile and the excellent results achieved by it.
TUMT is a covered procedure by many leading health insurers. It is best to check each patient's insurance policy to make sure that TUMT is a covered procedure as Individual policies can vary from patient to patient.
The following insurance carriers cover TUMT. (There could be an exclusion to an individual patient's policy, although this is rare)
Medicare
Aetna
CIGNA
Blue Cross
Blue Shield
Beech Street
PHCS
United Healthcare
Pacificare
Doctors with expertise in incontinence, bladder suspension ("bladder lift") and sling procedures, kidney stones, no needle no scalpel vasectomy, vasectomy reversal, laparoscopy and laparoscopic kidney and prostate surgery, prostate diseases including cancer and enlarged prostate, cryoablation (or cryotherapy) of prostate and kidney, robotic (da Vinci) prostate surgery
Adult and pediatric urology, urologic surgery, in Orange County California
Serving Orange, Tustin, Irvine, Santa Ana and Garden Grove
