HIFU
High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) was FDA approved in 2015 for the treatment of prostate cancer. It had been used for many years prior to that in Europe for this purpose. Over the past decade, this treatment has become the most common focal therapy modality.
This procedure is most appropriate for patients with low-intermediate risk prostate cancer located on one side of the prostate only. It is performed in the operating room under general anesthesia. A special ultrasound probe with a cooling balloon around it is inserted into the rectum and the urologist creates a treatment plan using a combination of MRI and ultrasound to mark the area of treatment. The ultrasound delivers a focused beam of high energy waves that heat up and ablate the tissue. Contrast is given at the end to ensure there is no blood flow in the treated area. The procedure takes 60-90 minutes. A Foley catheter ( a tube in the penis that drains urine to a bag) is necessary for a few days. Patients have very little pain and can resume normal activity within 1week. The overall cure rate is 80-90%. Side effects are usually minimal - most men do not have leakage of urine (incontinence) or erectile dysfunction (ED).
