Transurethral microwave thermotherapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia - experience with the Prostcare

Transurethral microwave thermotherapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia with the Prostcare(1) has been used in our department since April 1992. Our research has mainly been focused on strategies for development of the apparatus, accessories, and treatment performance to find an optimal means of treatment. The development to high-power thermotherapy has demonstrated a significant improvement in symptom and quality-of-life scores, maximal flow rate, and residual and voided urinary volume after 6 months. Pressure-flow data have additionally demonstrated a significant decrease in the minimal urethral opening pressure. The improvement in outcome after high-power thermotherapy is associated with an increased short-term morbidity as compared with low-power treatment. The outcome is dependent on several factors: power and intraprostatic temperatures, treatment performance technique, configuration of heat distribution of the antennae, and the localization of maximal heat in the prostatic urethra.