Ablatherm® HIFU treatment – Step by step guide

1. The patient is anesthetized with a spinal or general anesthetic.

2. The patient lays comfortably on his right side during the treatment, which lasts between 90 minutes and 2 1/2 hours.

3. The probe used for the treatment is inserted into the patient's rectum. This dual-purpose probe produces an image of the prostate and emits the ultrasound waves that will destroy the cells.

4. The prostate is located immediately in front of the rectum, a few centimeters from the anus, which means that the treatment can be performed via the natural routes with no trauma or incisions.

5. The probe uses ultrasound imaging to build up a picture of the complete prostate and a software program recreates a 3D view to allow the physician to accurately locate the area to be treated.

6. The software enables the physician to see the edges of the prostate, set safety margins and plan each stage of the treatment. Movements are accurate to within 1 mm. The urologist specifies the exact size of the lesions that will be created, based on the patient's anatomy. This ensures that treatment is as safe and effective as possible.

7. Lastly, the probe automatically carries out the treatment as specified by the urologist. Treating the complete prostate involves creating between 400 and 800 tiny lesions side by side. Throughout the treatment, the physician can monitor the state of progress in real-time on the control screen.

8. When treatment is finished, the urologist inserts a urethral catheter to allow the patient to pass urine normally during the hours immediately following treatment.