[Long-term results of treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy by trans-rectal prostatic hyperthermia]

From November 1987, 250 patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia underwent transrectal prostatic hyperthermia. Forty-six patients had an indwelling catheter while 204 patients were obstructed but could still void spontaneously. Hyperthermia was administered in 5 or 10 sixty-minute sessions, with a calculated intraprostatic temperature of 42.5 or 43 degrees C. At the two-year follow-up, residual urine volume was significantly decreased while peak flow rate, maximum flow nomogram and subjective symptoms were only slightly improved, i.e. patients were still obstructed postoperatively. Transrectal prostatic hyperthermia cannot be considered as a first choice therapy for symptomatic benign hyperplasia but it can be offered only to carefully selected patients who cannot undergo any alternative therapeutic procedure.