Transurethral needle ablation

Abstract

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a nonmalignant growth of the prostate gland that can lead to a constellation of symptoms in the aging male known as lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Over the last decade, several minimally invasive therapies have been developed for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia in men who are unwilling to remain on medication, in whom medical therapy has failed, who are unsuitable candidates for surgery, and in men who are concerned about the side effects of TURP. One minimally invasive therapy, TUNA, uses low-level radiofrequency energy to heat prostatic tissue and create a controlled localized necrotic lesion. The tissue is then selectively ablated with temperatures exceeding 60°C while preserving the prostatic urothelium. One of the major advantages to transurethral needle ablation of the prostate (TUNA) is it can be performed in the office under topical anesthesia. With recent advances in technology, TUNA can now be used to create extremely precise microscopic and macroscopic lesions within the prostate. In the short term, the majority of patients have subjective (symptomatic) and objective (Qmax) improvements, even when presenting symptoms are severe.