PROCEDURE SOLUTIONS

Since procedures for BPH have been around, most physicians considered a surgery known as TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate) the “Gold Standard”.  The reason the TURP was considered the “Gold Standard” was because the removal of tissue resulted in the best clinical result. The TURP is performed under general anesthesia and the doctor inserts a surgical device through the tip of the penis used to cut away the prostate tissue blocking the urethra.

While this procedure is still considered the “Gold Standard”, many men resist surgery, hospitalization, or any possible side effects from a more radical approach. To offer men a minimally invasive and non-surgical option, Urologix developed Cooled ThermoTherapy over 25 years ago.  Cooled ThermoTherapy has for many years provided men an option that is better than drugs and less invasive than surgery. Urologix took the concept that makes TURP the “Gold Standard”, removal of tissue, and applied it to the treatment. However, Cooled ThermoTherapy does not remove tissue through cutting. Cooled ThermoTherapy removes tissue through necrosis using microwave energy that safely heats the prostate tissue while providing cooling sensation to protect the urethra and specifically heating the prostate to prevent any damaging effects to the surrounding areas. The picture below illustrates the heat pattern to better understand how the heat is applied to necrose the tissue.