Related Experiment Videos
Transurethral balloon laser thermotherapy: effects of a directionally shielded balloon in canine prostates
T Suzuki1, K Kurokawa, K Suzuki
1Department of Urology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
Background:
Transurethral balloon laser thermotherapy (TUBAL-T) improves objective, but not subjective, symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). We studied whether or not an Nd:YAG laser beam with a shielded balloon could successfully irradiate the prostate during TUBAL-T in selective manner, to improve the subjective symptoms.
Methods:
TUBAL-T was performed on canine prostates using the balloon with a laser probe, which was shielded anteriorly at 90 degrees (from the center of the balloon) and posteriorly at 90 degrees.
Results:
At 20 watts laser power, the relative power density in the bilateral non-shielded areas was 17.4 and 17.8, and in the shielded area it was 1.0. Observation by thermography revealed that the temperature after laser radiation in a non-shielded area of a fish cake phantom was higher than in a shielded area. Following transurethral thermotherapy using a shielded balloon in dogs, a cavity was formed bilaterally around the urethra, and the tissues at the anteroposterior sides and the urethra were preserved.
Conclusions:
TUBAL-T, which has been performed in clinical cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia, might be useful in selective irradiation of adenoma if a shielded balloon is used.