Transurethral Microwave Therapy (TUMT) for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Treatment
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University Hospital of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology, Andrology
The Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology, Andrology offers the full range of services in the areas of its specialization. Men and boys with diseases of the reproductive system can be diagnosed and treated in the medical facility. Doctors also treat infertility and erectile dysfunction. Medical care is provided to men and women with diseases of the urinary system, namely kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. The department is certified as the Prostate Cancer Center by the German Cancer Society (DKG), which indicates the excellent quality of the services provided in this area. The department's urologists have a perfect command of the innovative treatment methods, including holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP), photodynamic therapy, and da Vinci robot-assisted surgery. The department employs comprehensively trained and experienced doctors who apply advanced medical achievements in their practice. Each patient is provided with an individual approach, considering their specific needs and wishes.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology
The Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology provides high-precision diagnostic examinations and effective treatment for diseases of the genitourinary system and reproductive system in men and boys. Of particular interest is drug therapy and surgical treatment of prostate, bladder, kidney, testicular, and penile cancers. The department is part of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ulm (CCCU). For the patient, this means that their clinical case is studied by a multidisciplinary tumor board, which determines the optimal treatment tactics. The department is also certified by the German Cancer Society (DKG), so all therapeutic procedures meet strict national and international standards. The department's team of urologists also has unique clinical experience in the minimally invasive treatment of kidney stone disease, benign prostatic hyperplasia, neuro-urological dysfunction, and all urologic diseases in children. During the surgical treatment, the specialists at the medical facility successfully use minimally traumatic surgical techniques. They perform endoscopic, laser, minimally invasive, and robot-assisted surgery using the innovative Da Vinci system. The department treats about 3,000 inpatients and 9,000 outpatients with clinical cases of varying complexity annually. The number of surgical procedures performed and treatment outcomes are regularly published by the authorized commission of the Initiative Quality in Medicine (IQM).
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology, Andrology
The Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology, Andrology offers the full range of services for the diagnostics and treatment of urologic diseases in men and children, as well as urogynecologic disorders in women. One of the priority focuses of the department's specialization is the restoration of potency in men. According to the international ratings, this is the best hospital in Europe, where a team of urologists effectively treats erectile dysfunction. Another key focus of the department's work is on the treatment of benign and malignant prostate diseases. To treat prostate cancer, the doctors perform low-traumatic robot-assisted interventions using the very latest da Vinci® XI HD surgical system. The therapeutic offer is complemented by the treatment of pathologies of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, testicles and penis. In the field of pediatric urology, the correction of congenital malformations of the reproductive system in boys is of particular interest. The department's doctors are professionals in their area of specialization, so the patients can be sure that they will certainly find an effective solution even for the most complex clinical case.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology ranks among the top German medical facilities specializing in prostate cancer treatment! The department offers all types of modern diagnostic and therapeutic services for patients with urologic diseases. Of particular interest is the treatment of urogenital tumors in men and urogynecological diseases. The department also specializes in kidney transplantation, which is carried out within the specialized center. This center is the largest in Germany and Europe and annually demonstrates high treatment success rates. In addition, the department's competence covers the treatment of urological problems in boys of all age groups.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology ranks among the top German departments specializing in prostate cancer treatment! The department offers the full range of diagnostics and treatment of the urinary system in men and boys. The department has a long history, rich traditions, and is also a recognized center of excellence in the treatment of all urological diseases. The department specializes in the treatment of malignant urological diseases, reconstructive surgery, pediatric urology, treatment of urinary tract dysfunction and kidney stone disease.
Department of Urology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Urology ranks among the top German medical institutions specializing in prostate cancer treatment! The department offers the full range of high-precision diagnostic studies and effective therapeutic options for men with diseases of the genitourinary system. The doctors of the department specialize in the treatment of prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, kidney, testicular cancers, urolithiasis, erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence. There are also excellent qualifications in the field of reconstructive urology.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology ranks among the top German medical facilities specializing in prostate cancer treatment! The department offers the full range of advanced methods of diagnostics and treatment of all genitourinary system diseases, including in children. Of particular interest is the treatment of patients with urinary tract and kidney tumors, kidney stone disease, prostate diseases, treatment of urinary incontinence, andrologic disorders and urological problems in young patients. Since 2010, the department has been certified as the Prostate Cancer Center (certified by the German Cancer Society, recertified in 2016).
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology, Andrology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology, Andrology ranks among the best departments in Germany specializing in prostate cancer treatment! The department offers the full range of diagnostic and therapeutic services in the fields of its expertise. The department's medical team specializes in the treatment of diseases of the urinary tract in women and men, as well as in the treatment of pathologies of the reproductive system in adult men and children, andrological diseases in men. The primary focus of the clinical practice of the department's doctors is medical care for patients with kidney, bladder, ureteral, urethral, prostate, testicular and penile cancers. The department's specialists keep pace with medical innovations, so most surgical interventions are performed using sparing laparoscopic techniques that do not require large incisions in the skin and soft tissues. To treat prostate cancer, doctors successfully use robot-assisted prostatectomy with the da Vinci surgical system. This intervention has many advantages over classical surgery and is available only in the best hospitals in the world. In addition, the department's doctors demonstrate excellent results in the treatment of kidney stone disease, urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. A specially trained team of doctors has been formed for the treatment of urological pathologies in children. Of particular interest is the correction of congenital genitourinary anomalies in young patients.
Department of Urology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Urology ranks among the top medical institutions in Germany specializing in prostate cancer treatment! The department offers the full range of diagnostics and treatment of urinary tract diseases in men. Of particular interest are kidney transplantation, treatment of benign and malignant urologic diseases. The department has become one of the pioneers in the field of minimally invasive robot-assisted surgery (da Vinci), thanks to which it has exceptional experience in this area. In addition, the department became the second medical facility in Germany, which performed kidney transplantation using a da Vinci robotic system.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology ranks among the top German medical facilities specializing in prostate cancer treatment! The department has all the diagnostic and therapeutic options to provide first-class medical care for patients with diseases of the genitourinary system. The priority focus is reconstructive urology, in particular, the whole range of urethral surgery, procedures for the treatment of urinary incontinence (including artificial sphincter implantation, sling procedures), as well as penile surgery for congenital or acquired malformations, prosthetics in case of erectile dysfunction.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology
The Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology offers the diagnostics and treatment of all diseases of the urinary system organs (kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra, etc.), as well as of the male reproductive organs in adults and children. The department specializes in the surgical and drug treatment of oncological diseases, correction of complex malformations, and plastic reconstructive urology. The department is the certified Prostate Cancer Centre.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology
The Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology provides high-precision diagnostics and effective treatment of the full range of diseases of the kidneys, urinary tract, bladder, prostate, testicles and their appendages, vas deferens and penis. The treatment of urologic cancers is of particular interest. The focus of pediatric urologists is on young patients with congenital and acquired malformations of the genitourinary system. The department has its in-house advanced operating rooms, an X-ray unit, and two stations with 57 beds. The high quality of medical care is confirmed by many prestigious certificates, including the DEKRA certificate and the certificate of the European Board of Urology. As one of the best urologic facilities in Germany and a leading urology clinic in Munich, the department has been offering patients the daVinci robot-assisted surgery since 2009, which has many advantages for patients: minimal pain, speedy recovery, the highest level of precision compared to conventional surgical interventions.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology ranks among the top German medical facilities specializing in prostate cancer treatment! The department offers services for the diagnostics and treatment of diseases of the kidneys, urinary tract and pathologies of the reproductive organs in men. The therapeutic options are complemented by the treatment of urological problems in children. The department's doctors focus on the patients with oncopathologies (prostate cancer, renal cell cancer, bladder cancer, testicular cancer). Of particular interest is minimally invasive therapy of stones in the kidneys, ureters and bladder. The doctors have in their arsenal conventional and the very latest conservative, drug and surgical therapies, which allow them to achieve the best result in clinical cases of varying severity.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology ranks among the top German departments specializing in prostate cancer treatment! The department offers the widest range of modern diagnostic and therapeutic methods for accurate detection and treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system in men and boys. The priority focus of the department is the treatment of prostate cancer (certification of the German Cancer Society).
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology ranks among the top German departments specializing in prostate cancer treatment! The department deals with the diagnostics, conservative and surgical treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system in men and boys. If necessary, surgical treatment may be provided with the use of sparing minimally invasive techniques, which allows to ensure early recovery for the patient. In the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, kidney stone disease, ultramodern laser technologies are widely used. The department treats more than 1,800 inpatients and about 5,000 outpatients every year.
Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology
According to the Focus magazine, the Department of Adult and Pediatric Urology ranks among the best German medical facilities for prostate cancer treatment! The department offers all diagnostic and therapeutic services in the field of its competence and specializes in the treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system in men of all age groups. The department has 46 beds for inpatient medical care. One of the key focuses is prostate cancer treatment (certification of the German Cancer Society as a Prostate Cancer Center). The doctors of the department are also highly professional in the treatment of diseases of the external genital organs in men, pathologies of the kidneys, adrenal glands, ureters, bladder and urethra in men and women.
Transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) is the safest of the invasive methods for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It involves exposing prostate tissue to microwave energy to heat and destroy it. Low temperatures are used: more than 45 degrees, but less than 70 degrees, so the treatment method is called thermotherapy, not ablation. As a result of the procedure, the symptoms of BPH in the urinary system are relieved, and the patient's quality of life is improved. TUMT does not worsen erectile function but even improves it. You can have your treatment abroad by seeking medical help from one of the European hospitals to benefit from the TUMT method.
Content
- Who may be a candidate for TUMT for the treatment of BPH?
- How is the TUMT treatment for BPH performed?
- Results of the TUMT treatment for BPH
- Benefits of TUMT for BPH
- Where can I have the TUMT treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia?
BPH is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland, common in older men, that causes urinary symptoms and affects quality of life.
TUMT is a minimally invasive procedure using microwave energy to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia by reducing prostate tissue volume.
Transurethral microwave therapy uses a catheter to deliver targeted microwave energy, heating and destroying excess prostate tissue while protecting surrounding areas.
TUMT is less invasive than traditional surgery, offering shorter recovery time and reduced risk of complications for BPH treatment.
TUMT effectively reduces BPH symptoms in many patients, though results may vary. It's part of advanced medical technology options for prostate treatment.
Who may be a candidate for TUMT for the treatment of BPH?
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common diseases in elderly and middle-aged men. Its prevalence in the 40-49 age group is 10%, and after the age of 80, the disease develops in 80% of men. In patients with BPH, the enlarging tissue of the organ compresses and irritates the urinary tract, causing urinary disorders.
Many treatments have been developed for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The appropriate procedure is selected for each patient individually based on the patient's symptoms, prostate volume, age, desire to maintain an erection, presence of comorbidities, and previous treatment experience. The choice of treatment method is also influenced by the technical capabilities of the medical center and the preferences and skills of the urologists.
Transurethral microwave thermotherapy is best suited for patients who meet the following criteria:
- Prostate hyperplasia with an organ volume from 30 to 100 ml
- Desire to maintain an erection
- Poor health and the presence of concomitant diseases
- Contraindications to more radical procedures
- Low life expectancy
On the one hand, TUMT is the safest and least traumatic medical procedure, which has a minimum of contraindications, but on the other hand, the effect after it lasts for a shorter time compared to other, more radical methods.
How is the TUMT treatment for BPH performed?
Transurethral microwave therapy is performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia combined with sedation. A catheter is inserted through the urethra into the prostate tissue. Inside the catheter is a probe that heats the prostate tissue with microwave energy.
During the procedure, protein denaturation and necrosis (death) of the prostate tissue occur around the microwave exposure. The dead prostate tissue is then replaced by scarring.
The duration of therapy is about one hour. After its completion, the man does not need to stay in the hospital, but will need to use a Foley catheter for 3-5 days, and in some hospitals, up to 2 weeks. After this time, a temporary prostatic stent is implanted instead, which is removed on average 30 days after the surgical procedure. By this time, the swelling of the prostate will disappear and urinary function will improve.
Results of the TUMT treatment for BPH
Transurethral microwave therapy works through the following three mechanisms:
- Prostate volume reduction by an average of one third
- Displacement of the urethral walls due to the formation of fibrous (scar) tissue
- Relaxation of the smooth muscle structures of the prostate, bladder neck, and proximal urethra due to the destruction of alpha-adrenergic receptors (a state of alpha-blockade occurs, as in alpha-blocker therapy)
These effects develop gradually. Immediately after the medical procedure, there is post-traumatic swelling of the tissues. They compress the urinary tract, so urinary retention may occur, which is prevented by the use of a urinary catheter.
The effect of BPH therapy can be evaluated on average one month after the completion of treatment. As a result of therapy:
- Prostate volume decreases
- Urinary symptoms are relieved
- Quality of life is improved
- Erection is maintained or improved
These results continue to improve during several months after the procedure was performed.
The effectiveness of the TUMT treatment is estimated by different authors to be between 50 and 80%. The effect persists for 4 to 5 years. After that, repeated treatment may be necessary due to continued prostate enlargement and the recurrence of urinary symptoms.
Benefits of TUMT for BPH
Transurethral microwave thermotherapy has been used in medicine since the late twentieth century. Since then, many other minimally invasive, more advanced treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia have been developed, but TUMT is still used in clinical practice because it has many benefits. These are as follows:
- The most sparing and safest procedure
- No general anesthesia required
- No hospitalization required
- Zero mortality
- The lowest risk of complications, including hematuria (blood in the urine), urethral stricture (narrowing), and retrograde ejaculation
- Does not worsen erection and, according to some studies, even improves erectile function
- Provides a speedy and comfortable recovery for patients
- Has a minimum of contraindications
- Suitable for older men debilitated by comorbidities
- Low cost of treatment
Although the disadvantage of the method is the high risk of recurrence of symptoms after 4-5 years, in the event of recurrence, the procedure can be repeated to normalize urinary function again.
Where can I have the TUMT treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia?
You can have your treatment abroad. Many European hospitals use transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) with excellent results.
You are welcome to use the Booking Health service to find out the cost of treatment, compare prices, and select the most suitable hospital for your treatment abroad. The Booking Health specialists will advise you on all your questions, help you choose the right hospital, and take care of all the arrangements for your treatment abroad. When you make your treatment appointment through Booking Health, the cost of treatment will be lower for you than if you seek medical help directly from the hospital. The price of treatment abroad will be lower due to the absence of additional fees for foreign patients.
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
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