Drug therapy is not as effective and has more side effects than Urologix' T3 (Transurethral Thermo-ablation Therapy) system based on microwaves. The 2 paragraphs below were taken from Urologix' Prospectus. Richard
"BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) has historically been treated
by surgical intervention or by drug therapy. The primary surgical
treatment for BPH is transurethral resection of the prostate
(TURP), a procedure in which an electrosurgical loop is used to
cut away the prostatic urethra and surrounding diseased tissue
in the prostate, thereby widening the urethral channel for urine
flow. The TURP procedure requires the use of general or spinal
anesthesia and almost always results in post-treatment
hopitalization, both of which add significantly to the total
treatment cost. A significant number of patients who undergo
TURP encounter both short and long-term complications. These
complications can include painful urination, retrograde
ejaculation, infection, impotence, long-term incontinence and
excessive bleeding. Drug therapy has emerged as an alternative
to surgery in the last several years. While it is estimated that
1.5 million men in the US will use drug therapy for BPH in 1996,
independent clinical studies have shown that many men
undergoing drug therapy do not realize clinically significant relief
from BPH symptoms. An estimated 30% to 40% of patients who
initially pursue drug therapy to treat their BPH symptoms
discontinue treatment within 12 months for various reasons,
including the inconvenience of the daily regimen, dissatisfaction
with symptom relief and undesirable side effects ranging from
dizziness, headache and fatigue to impotence, decreased libido
and several other sexual dysfunctions.
"The company's clinical studies to date demonstrate that most
patients who received Urologix' T3 therapy experienced a
significant improvement in BPH symptoms and urine flow rates,
minimal complications and post-treatment discomfort, and were
able to return to normal activities within a few days." |
