What is HIFU Treatment?
HIFU is an advanced treatment for certain types of prostate cancer. During this procedure, we use high-intensity ultrasound waves to target specific areas of your prostate. These precisely focused sound waves destroy cancer cells while preserving more of your healthy tissue. And since HIFU is a minimally invasive procedure, it lowers the chances of complications compared to traditional open surgery.
Depending on the location and stage of cancer, your medical history and other factors, HIFU can be an impactful part of your care plan. Speak to your Cancer Care team to find out if HIFU could be a good option for treating your prostate cancer. Your doctor can share more about the risks and benefits of HIFU for you based on your treatment goals.
Benefits of HIFU Treatment
For many patients, HIFU offers real advantages compared to other prostate cancer treatments. You can benefit from:
- Faster return to activity. You can get back to your routine within a couple of days of your procedure.
- High convenience. Doctors can perform HIFU in an outpatient clinic so you can return home the same day.
- Lower risk of complications. Since HIFU doesn’t involve surgery or radiation, you have minimal discomfort and fewer complications like incontinence and erectile dysfunction.
- One session to complete therapy. You usually only need to go through HIFU one time, compared to multiple sessions for radiation treatment.
- Speedier healing. Because HIFU is minimally invasive, your physical healing is easier and faster.
What to Expect During HIFU Treatment
Before your procedure, you’ll complete a bowel preparation to clear out your gut. We’ll provide instructions on specific diet restrictions and at-home treatments to complete. You’ll also need to consult with your doctor in advance about any medications taken before your treatment.
When you arrive on the morning of your procedure, you’ll check in with your care team. Your nurses will prepare you for HIFU, including starting an IV for anesthesia. An anesthesiologist will administer drugs to keep you relaxed or asleep so you won’t feel anything during your procedure.
Once you are under anesthesia, your urologist will perform HIFU with precision, targeting only the affected cancer tissue.
You’ll stay in the hospital for a couple of hours after your procedure to give the anesthesia time to wear off. Your care team will monitor your vital signs and let you know when it is safe to be discharged. You won’t be able to drive yourself home, so make sure you have a plan to get home safely.
Your care team can answer any other specific questions you have and provide more details about how to prepare for your HIFU procedure.
After Your HIFU Procedure
After your procedure, your care team will share your detailed recovery instructions and personalized care plan, including what to expect after your procedure. In general, your doctor will place a urinary tube (catheter) to help you empty your bladder and lower the risks of retaining urine, such as urinary tract infections. We’ll walk you through home catheter care, including daily cleaning, which is essential to safe healing and a smooth recovery.
Most patients can resume low-impact activities like walking within a couple of days. If you have specific questions about your activities, your care team can help answer them.
Your doctor will remove your catheter at your first follow-up visit, which is typically within 5 – 7 days after your procedure. You can generally go back to your regular activities when your doctor removes your catheter.
Cancer Awards & Accreditations
Our superior Cancer Care has earned us a three-year accreditation as a comprehensive community cancer program from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Accreditation ensures that the care you receive right here in your community is high-quality and uses evidence-based, national treatment guidelines.
We’re also an ACS Surgical Quality Partner and committed to the highest surgery standards.
Patients rate us highly, too. Based on PressGaney patient satisfaction surveys, our “likeliness to recommend” score is over 90%, and we’ve won the top patient experience award multiple years in a row.
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