title: Pilot study of transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) in treatment of nonbacterial prostatitis.
abstract: Transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) was performed on seven patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis who failed to respond to conventional treatments administered for more than half a year. The TUNA procedure heated the prostate to a temperature ranging from 90 degrees to 100 degrees C while the urethral temperature was maintained below 43 degrees C by a protective sheath and irrigation. After treatment, four patients showed complete resolution of symptoms and three a partial improvement. All patients had a decrease in the leukocyte count in expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) 1 month after treatment. Recurrence of abnormal inflammatory cells in the EPS was noted in two patients at 3 months after treatment. The subjective improvement has been maintained during the subsequent follow-up. From these results, TUNA is considered to be an effective, safe, and easy treatment for most patients with nonbacterial prostatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Chiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*