[Thermotherapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia]

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Minimally Invasive Procedures
• Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Management

Context:

• Transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) involves higher intraprostatic temperatures and causes irreversible tissue damage, distinguishing it from standard hyperthermia.
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) management often involves surgical interventions with varying efficacy and complication rates.

Purpose:

• To compare the efficacy and complication rates of Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy (TUMT) versus Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
• To evaluate the impact of TUMT on subjective symptoms and objective parameters like peak flow and residual urine in BPH patients.

Summary:

• TUMT demonstrated comparable improvement in subjective BPH symptoms to TURP, but without significant improvement in objective data (peak flow, residual urine).
• The complication rate for TUMT was notably lower than for TURP, with TUMT being a viable outpatient procedure.
• TUMT showed a less pronounced effect on outflow obstruction compared to TURP.

Impact:

• TUMT is indicated for BPH patients with typical symptoms and mild mechanical obstruction, representing an optimal treatment choice.
• For mild BPH, TUMT avoids the "overtreatment" associated with TURP's higher complication rates and tissue resection.
• TURP should be reserved for moderate to severe mechanical obstruction in BPH cases.