Microwave hyperthermia in benign prostatic hypertrophy: a controlled clinical trial

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is a common condition causing bladder outflow obstruction (BOO).
• Microwave hyperthermia has been explored as a treatment option for symptomatic BPH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of microwave hyperthermia compared to sham treatment in patients with BPH.

Main Methods:

• A randomized trial involving 96 patients with symptomatic BPH and BOO.
• Patients received either 1-hour microwave hyperthermia or a sham treatment.
• Subjective and objective assessments, including urodynamics, were performed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences were observed in objective measures of bladder outflow obstruction between the microwave hyperthermia and sham treatment groups.
• Both groups experienced approximately 40% improvement in subjective measures, with no significant difference between them.

Conclusions:

• Microwave hyperthermia, under the trial's parameters, did not demonstrate a significant difference from sham treatment for BPH.
• The study suggests limited effectiveness of microwave hyperthermia for improving subjective or objective outcomes in BPH patients.