Hifu

To adepose:

I have almost the identical numbers to you.  I am currently considering the alternative treatments.  HIFU seems to best fit what I am looking for.  My age 71, PSA 4.3, Gleason 7, Size 38 ml.  I am leaning heavily toward HIFU.  Reasons - non invasive, statistically least side effects, quick recovery with little inconvenience, can be repeated if necessary.  I am now trying to decide bewteen ablatherm and sonablate 500.  Why did you choose brachytherapy? 

On 12/10/2007 Cyleonard wrote:

To adepose:

I have almost the identical numbers to you.  I am currently considering the alternative treatments.  HIFU seems to best fit what I am looking for.  My age 71, PSA 4.3, Gleason 7, Size 38 ml.  I am leaning heavily toward HIFU.  Reasons - non invasive, statistically least side effects, quick recovery with little inconvenience, can be repeated if necessary.  I am now trying to decide bewteen ablatherm and sonablate 500.  Why did you choose brachytherapy? 

I went with Sonablate 500 .  It is superior technology over ablatherm, particurily since it views in 3dimensional and it has color doppler for mapping the nerve/blood vessel bundles.  Also, the urologist has full control of the power levels, not just, low, medium and high as the ablatherm.  Many more reasons, but you'll need to study up.

On 1/3/2008 Greg1961 wrote:

 

On 12/10/2007 Cyleonard wrote:

To adepose:

I have almost the identical numbers to you.  I am currently considering the alternative treatments.  HIFU seems to best fit what I am looking for.  My age 71, PSA 4.3, Gleason 7, Size 38 ml.  I am leaning heavily toward HIFU.  Reasons - non invasive, statistically least side effects, quick recovery with little inconvenience, can be repeated if necessary.  I am now trying to decide bewteen ablatherm and sonablate 500.  Why did you choose brachytherapy? 

I went with Sonablate 500 .  It is superior technology over ablatherm, particurily since it views in 3dimensional and it has color doppler for mapping the nerve/blood vessel bundles.  Also, the urologist has full control of the power levels, not just, low, medium and high as the ablatherm.  Many more reasons, but you'll need to study up.

Many thanks for your thoughts.  I am going with the Sonablate 500 and am scheduled for Feb 24 in Toronto.  How long did it take you to recover from the treament, that is get rid of the catheter tube and bag and get back to normal?  Any serious side effects re impotence or incontinence?

On 1/3/2008 Cyleonard wrote:

 

On 1/3/2008 Greg1961 wrote:

 

On 12/10/2007 Cyleonard wrote:

To adepose:

I have almost the identical numbers to you.  I am currently considering the alternative treatments.  HIFU seems to best fit what I am looking for.  My age 71, PSA 4.3, Gleason 7, Size 38 ml.  I am leaning heavily toward HIFU.  Reasons - non invasive, statistically least side effects, quick recovery with little inconvenience, can be repeated if necessary.  I am now trying to decide bewteen ablatherm and sonablate 500.  Why did you choose brachytherapy? 

I went with Sonablate 500 .  It is superior technology over ablatherm, particurily since it views in 3dimensional and it has color doppler for mapping the nerve/blood vessel bundles.  Also, the urologist has full control of the power levels, not just, low, medium and high as the ablatherm.  Many more reasons, but you'll need to study up.

Many thanks for your thoughts.  I am going with the Sonablate 500 and am scheduled for Feb 24 in Toronto.  How long did it take you to recover from the treament, that is get rid of the catheter tube and bag and get back to normal?  Any serious side effects re impotence or incontinence?

Again, many thanks for your prompt reply.

 

Recently received a Sonoblate500 HIFU procedure from Dr. Thom. Dill in Heidelberg, Germany (12/11/07). I was 3.8 PSA, 3+3 Geason score and about 40ml by volume. Blood & bone scans were negative.

Procedure lasted 4.5 hours (somewhat longer than normal). I did take a short walk back to the hotel and walked through the old town later that day. Part of this could have been due to the epidural residual. I felt good. The next day I felt a bit tired.

The catheter stayed in for 10 days; and went back in for 10 more days after I spent some troubling hours trying to relieve about a litre of fluids. I experienced some swelling, controlled by Phlogenzym and have been taking Omnic (Flomax) to regulate my urination. My local urologist has scheduled me for an ultrasound on 1/14/08 (he's possibly more curious than I over the procedure--first HIFI patient). Some web testamonials make this sound like it's a walk in the park. I'm a little skeptical that someone could lose the catheter and be back to normal in a few days. It is a serious procedure and hopefully, a successful one for me. There is none of the complications normally associated with surgery or radiation (incontinence,impotence).  I'll update my progress here. Hang in there everyone.

On 1/3/2008 Cyleonard wrote:

 

On 1/3/2008 Greg1961 wrote:

 

On 12/10/2007 Cyleonard wrote:

To adepose:

I have almost the identical numbers to you.  I am currently considering the alternative treatments.  HIFU seems to best fit what I am looking for.  My age 71, PSA 4.3, Gleason 7, Size 38 ml.  I am leaning heavily toward HIFU.  Reasons - non invasive, statistically least side effects, quick recovery with little inconvenience, can be repeated if necessary.  I am now trying to decide bewteen ablatherm and sonablate 500.  Why did you choose brachytherapy? 

I went with Sonablate 500 .  It is superior technology over ablatherm, particurily since it views in 3dimensional and it has color doppler for mapping the nerve/blood vessel bundles.  Also, the urologist has full control of the power levels, not just, low, medium and high as the ablatherm.  Many more reasons, but you'll need to study up.

Many thanks for your thoughts.  I am going with the Sonablate 500 and am scheduled for Feb 24 in Toronto.  How long did it take you to recover from the treament, that is get rid of the catheter tube and bag and get back to normal?  Any serious side effects re impotence or incontinence?

 

On 1/3/2008 BourbonBob wrote:

Recently received a Sonoblate500 HIFU procedure from Dr. Thom. Dill in Heidelberg, Germany (12/11/07). I was 3.8 PSA, 3+3 Geason score and about 40ml by volume. Blood & bone scans were negative.

Procedure lasted 4.5 hours (somewhat longer than normal). I did take a short walk back to the hotel and walked through the old town later that day. Part of this could have been due to the epidural residual. I felt good. The next day I felt a bit tired.

The catheter stayed in for 10 days; and went back in for 10 more days after I spent some troubling hours trying to relieve about a litre of fluids. I experienced some swelling, controlled by Phlogenzym and have been taking Omnic (Flomax) to regulate my urination. My local urologist has scheduled me for an ultrasound on 1/14/08 (he's possibly more curious than I over the procedure--first HIFI patient). Some web testamonials make this sound like it's a walk in the park. I'm a little skeptical that someone could lose the catheter and be back to normal in a few days. It is a serious procedure and hopefully, a successful one for me. There is none of the complications normally associated with surgery or radiation (incontinence,impotence).  I'll update my progress here. Hang in there everyone.

I am beginning my research on HIFU and will definitely go with it.  For me the question is where.  I am most concerned with the side effects - impotence and incontinence so would appreciate your thoughts and experience.

Thanks 

On 4/7/2008 whitehorse wrote:

 

On 1/3/2008 BourbonBob wrote:

Recently received a Sonoblate500 HIFU procedure from Dr. Thom. Dill in Heidelberg, Germany (12/11/07). I was 3.8 PSA, 3+3 Geason score and about 40ml by volume. Blood & bone scans were negative.

Procedure lasted 4.5 hours (somewhat longer than normal). I did take a short walk back to the hotel and walked through the old town later that day. Part of this could have been due to the epidural residual. I felt good. The next day I felt a bit tired.

The catheter stayed in for 10 days; and went back in for 10 more days after I spent some troubling hours trying to relieve about a litre of fluids. I experienced some swelling, controlled by Phlogenzym and have been taking Omnic (Flomax) to regulate my urination. My local urologist has scheduled me for an ultrasound on 1/14/08 (he's possibly more curious than I over the procedure--first HIFI patient). Some web testamonials make this sound like it's a walk in the park. I'm a little skeptical that someone could lose the catheter and be back to normal in a few days. It is a serious procedure and hopefully, a successful one for me. There is none of the complications normally associated with surgery or radiation (incontinence,impotence).  I'll update my progress here. Hang in there everyone.

I am beginning my research on HIFU and will definitely go with it.  For me the question is where.  I am most concerned with the side effects - impotence and incontinence so would appreciate your thoughts and experience.

Thanks 

There's no guarantees, but the impotence/incontinence chances are relatively lower with HIFU. I was back to normal after 3-4 months. I suppose the flomax should have taken care of it, but I had some nasty, emergency bathroom stops to make in Feb and March.

Finding an experienced HIFU doctor and staff should be your primary consideration, if you're going this way(hifu).Good luck.