Long-term follow up of Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy (TUMT) with Low Energy Prosoft 2.0

Lee, Pung Gyu; Choi, Nak Gyeu

Abstract

From August 1991 to July 1992, 262 patients of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were treated with transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT). Among those, 64 patients were followed up more than I year and 26 patients were followed up more than 4 years without other treatment. The patient`s age ranged from 49 to 80 years with a mean of 64.3 years. Prostate volume determined by transrectal ultrasonography ranged from 27.0cm3 to 73.6cm3, the mean 40.8cm3. After I year, maximum flow rate increased from 8.1+/-2.3ml/sec to 11.5+/-3.6ml/sec, Madsen symptom score decreased from 12.6 +/-3.8 to 6.6+/-4.7, and residual urine volume decreased from 75.6+/-33.5ml to 43.4+/-35.3ml. Complete response of maximum flow rate and Madsen symptom score observed in 17.2% in each group, partial response in 50.0% and 40.6%, and non-response in 32.8% and 42.2%. Improvement of subjective symptoms were evaluated by patients themselves and divided into 3 groups: ""satisfactory"" was 28.1%, ""acceptable"" 34.4%, and ""not effective"" 37.5%. Complications were i case of erectile dysfunction and 4 cases of dry ejaculation. Among the 64 patients who were followed up more than 1 year, 26 patients (40.6%) were remained without other treatment, 20 (31.3%) patients were medicated additionally, 11 (17.2%) patients required TUR-P during the follow-up period due to persistent symptoms, and 7 (10.9%) patients were performed re-TUMT. In conclusion, TUMT could be useful, safe and inexpensive treatment for BPH when it is applied selectively and should be advanced in mechanism to be more effective in treatment of BPH.