[Treatment of prostatic obstruction using localized hyperthermia. A preliminary study]

The LDMWH (Promeditech 2000), a hyperthermia apparatus emitting microwaves with a frequency of 915 MHz, has been used since July 1988 in the Urology Department of Hôpital Cochin and the Polyclinic of Montreuil for the treatment of prostatic obstructions. Patients are selected on the basis of objective criteria (flowmetry, post-micturating residue) and subjective criteria (standard clinical history). Only patients with objective obstruction are treated by localized hyperthermia, which constitutes a real alternative to surgery. Treatment is performed as an outpatient procedure without anaesthesia as one one-hour session per week for a period of six weeks. The results are evaluated one and three months after completion of treatment by assessing the same objective and subjective criteria as before treatment. The results of the first 26 patients with sufficient follow-up reveals 45% good objective results and 65% good subjective results.