TUMT and How It Is Used
Transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) was approved for use in the U.S. in 1996. The procedure, which lasts about one hour, uses computer-regulated microwave energy to heat excess prostate tissue (to about 111°F), which then atrophies and shrinks. The microwaves are delivered through an antenna that has been carefully placed in a catheter with a built-in cooling system to keep the urethra cool and to protect the rectum and the sphincter from the heat. The catheter is connected to a computer that adjusts the level of microwave energy delivered to the prostate based on rectal and urethral temperatures; this is necessary to prevent unwanted tissue damage.
The mechanism by which TUMT works is not completely clear. TUMT appears to work by damaging the sensory nerves that cause the smooth muscle in the prostate to constrict the urethra. This helps reduce urinary symptoms, including an urgent and frequent need to urinate, straining to urinate, and an intermittent flow.
