Pilot study of transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) in treatment of nonbacterial prostatitis

Transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) was performed on seven patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis who failed to respond to conventional treatments administered for more than half a year. The TUNA procedure heated the prostate to a temperature ranging from 90 degrees to 100 degrees C while the urethral temperature was maintained below 43 degrees C by a protective sheath and irrigation. After treatment, four patients showed complete resolution of symptoms and three a partial improvement. All patients had a decrease in the leukocyte count in expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) 1 month after treatment. Recurrence of abnormal inflammatory cells in the EPS was noted in two patients at 3 months after treatment. The subjective improvement has been maintained during the subsequent follow-up. From these results, TUNA is considered to be an effective, safe, and easy treatment for most patients with nonbacterial prostatitis.