HIFU Treatment For Prostate Cancer
HIFU Treatment For Prostate Cancer
What Is a HIFU Procedure?
A HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound) is a new procedure approved by the FDA for removing prostate tissue. Although it has not been approved for the medication of prostate cancer in the U.S., it is only being used in clinics as a trial to treat it. Researchers are still estimating how great it serves and its side effects. It is “minimally invasive,” meaning that, a surgeon does not have to cut you open.
Men with cancer that hasn’t developed beyond the prostate may get surgery. Your doctor may suggest it before trying other treatments or later radiation therapy that did not help. It can also be executed again if cancer comes back to your prostate. It can not be used when cancer has grown to other parts of the body.
How Does HIFU Work?
Have you ever used a magnifying glass to reflect sun rays and started a tiny fire or burn a hole in a paper, then you are already having an idea of how HIFU works. Instead of sun rays, HIFU transmits sound waves that a doctor aims through the wall of your rectum i.e., the bottom part of the large intestine. He will direct the waves towards your cancer cells.
These sound waves heat’s up to a temperature of 90o F and kills cancer cells in a few seconds. Doctors use Ultrasound Imaging and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) for knowing exactly where the tumor is and where to aim the sound waves.
What Happens During the Procedure?
It usually takes a few hours (1- 4 hrs). Before it starts, you will get an enema for making sure that your bowels are empty. You will not be allowed to drink or eat anything for 6 hours before the operation.You will be medicated with anesthesia and you should not feel any discomfort during the procedure. Doctor will insert a small tube “catheter” through the urethra and into your bladder to collect urine during the procedure.
An ultrasound probe will be inserted into your rectum by the doctor. It is a small instrument like the ones which are used for prostate biopsies. The probe might have one or two crystals inside it. Sound waves from crystal bounce back to the computer for taking a picture of the prostate gland. This will help in sending the sound waves. HIFU in Dwarka providing the best kind of treatment.
Crystal sends the focused sound waves through the rectal wall inside the gland. MRI may also be used to keep a track of the treatment. After the treatment is completed and the anesthesia fades off, you can go home. The doctor may leave the catheter inside for a week, and you will have to go for a follow-up to take it out.