RF Ablation

Learn more about RF Ablation through:

Overview

Improvement following RF ablation for symptomatic BPH*

RF ablation provides durable improvement in urinary symptoms across several measures 5 years post-treatment:1

  • International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) -55% (n=18)
  • Peak flow rate (Qmax) +29% (n=13)
  • Quality of life (QOL) +68% (n=18)

"Results: Improvement from baseline for TUNA and TURP retained statistical significance at each interval for International Prostate Symptom Score, quality of life score, and peak flow rate. Post-void residual volume was statistically significant at all time points for TURP, and at year 5 for TUNA. The TURP group reported 41% retrograde ejaculation, while the TUNA group reported none. The incidence of erectile dysfunction, incontinence, and stricture formation was also greater in TURP than in TUNA cases with significantly fewer adverse events for TUNA than for TURP."

"Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate stable treatment outcomes after 5 years of follow-up and suggest that TUNA is an attractive treatment option for men with LUTS due to BPH."

-Hill, B, et al 1

Possible side effects of RF Ablation for symptomatic BPH include: obstruction (blockage), urinary retention, bleeding, blood in urine, pain/discomfort, urgency to urinate, increase urinary frequency, and urinary tract infection.

*In November 2005, the Food and Drug Administration granted 510K clearance for PROSTIVA® RF Ablation System stating that it is substantially equivalent to TUNA® Therapy (the previous name of this product).

References

  1. Hill, B, Belville W, Bruskewitz R, Issa M, Perez-Marrero R, Roehrborn C, Terris M, Naslund, M. Transurethral needle ablation versus transurethral resection of the prostate for the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia: 5-year results of a prospective, randomized, multi-center clinical trial. J Urol 2004 Jun; 171: 2336-2340. (In this study of 65 patients, 13 were evaluated 5 years after RF therapy. Only 14% of 65 patients needed further treatment for BPH stymptoms and went on the have surgery [TURP].)
  2. Zlotta AR, Giannakopoulos X, Maehlum O, Ostrem T, Schulman CC. Long-term evaluation of transurethral needle ablation of the prostate for treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia: clinical outcome up to five years from three centers. Eur Urol 2003 Jul; 44 (1): 89-93. (In this study of 188 patients, 121 were evaluated 5 years after RF therapy. More than 75% did not need additional treatment for BPH stymptoms.)
  3. Minardi D, Garofalo F, Yehia M, Cristalli AF, Giammarco L, Galosi AB, Muzzonigro G. Pressure-flow studies in men with benign prostatic hypertrophy before and after treatment with transurethral needle ablation. Urol Intl 2001; 66 (2): 89-93. (In this study of 188 patients, 121 were evaluated 5 years after RF therapy. More than 75% did not need additional treatment for BPH symptoms.)
  4. Steele GS, Sleep DJ. Transurethral needle ablation of the prostate: a urodynamic-based study with 2-year follow-up. J Urol 1997 Nov; 158 (5): 1834-1838.
  5. Campo B, Bergamaschi F, Corrada P, Ordesi G. Transurethral needle ablation of the prostate: A clinical and urodynamic evaluation. Urology 1997 Jun; 49 (6): 847-850.
  6. Boyle P, Robertson C, Vaughan D, Fitzpatrick JM. A meta-analysis of trials of transurethral needle ablation for treating symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. BJU Int 2004 Jul; 94 (1): 83-88.
  7. Bruskewitz R, Issa MM, Roehrborn CG, Naslund MJ, Perez-Marrero R, Shumaker BP, Oesterling JE. A prospective, randomized 1-year clinical trial comparing transurethral needle ablation to transurethral resection of the prostate for the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. J Urol 1998 May; 159 (5): 1588-1594.
  8. Kahn SA, Alphonse P, Tewari A, Narayan P. An open study on the efficacy and safety of transurethral needle ablation of the prostate in treating symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia: The University of Florida experience. J Urol 1998 Nov; 160 (5): 1695-1700.
  9. Murai M, Tachibana M, Miki M, Shiozawa H, Hirao Y, Okajima E. Transurethral needle ablation of the prostate: an initial Japanese clinical trial. Int J Urol 2001 Mar; 8 (3): 99-105.
  10. Roehrborn CG, Issa MM, Bruskewitz RC, Naslund MJ, Oesterling JE, Perez-Marrero R, Shumaker BP, Narayan P. Transurethral needle ablation for benign prostatic hyperplasia: 12-month results of a prospective, multicenter U.S. study. Urology 1998 Mar; 51 (3): 415-421.

Journal Articles

This meta-analysis shows that TUNA is an effective and minimally invasive treatment for men with clinical BPH, even when the symptoms are severe.

Boyle P, Robertson C, Vaughan D, Fitzpatrick JM.
British Journal of Urology International, 2004

Results of this study demonstrate stable treatment outcomes after 5 years of followup and suggest that TUNA is an attractive treatment option for men with LUTS due to BPH.

Hill B, Belville W, Bruskewitz R, et al.
Journal of Urology, 2004

These 2003 guidelines address the efficacy of both thermotherapy treatments and hypothermia treatments for BPH.

AUA Practice Guidelines Committee.
Journal of Urology, 2003

Results from this 5-year, multi-center trial show that 75% of patients did not require additional treatment 5 years after TUNA. The study included 176 patients at the outset, and 121 at the 5-year follow-up

Zlotta AR, Giannakopoulos X, Maehlum O, Ostrem T, Schulman CC.
European Urology, 2003

Results from this 12-month study show that TUNA therapy is effective in relieving urinary symptoms secondary to BPH.

Roehrborn CG, Issa MM, Bruskewitz RC, Naslund MJ, Oesterling JE, Perez-Marrero R, Shumaker BP, Narayan P.
Urology, 1998