{"id":19128,"date":"2019-12-20T12:42:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-20T12:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bensnaturalhealth.com\/blog\/?p=19128"},"modified":"2023-02-23T13:35:56","modified_gmt":"2023-02-23T13:35:56","slug":"tuna-procedure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bensnaturalhealth.com\/blog\/prostate-health\/tuna-procedure\/","title":{"rendered":"Transurethral Needle Ablation (TUNA) for BPH"},"content":{"rendered":"

BPH or Benign Prostate Hypertrophy is a non-cancerous growth of the male prostate gland, a condition that affects man men as they age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transurethral needle ablation is a technique used for the treatment of BPH. It is a minimally invasive procedure that is generally well-tolerated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FDA has approved the procedure for more than twenty years. It uses low-power radiofrequency energy to destroy (ablate) excess tissue from the prostate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This excess growth of tissue in the prostate is what causes the urinary and other symptoms of BPH. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To perform the procedure, a healthcare provider inserts a surgical instrument called a cystoscope into the urethra, starting a the tip of the penis and feeds it up through the urethra<\/a> until it reaches the area where the prostate enlargement is partially blocking urine flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cystoscope contains a hollow tube through which instruments and medication can be passed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How the TUNA procedure is performed <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After the cystoscope is in position, the doctor may insert an anesthetic agent to minimize and pain from the procedure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pain medication is generally used minimally. It is essential that the patient not be desensitized entirely, so the healthcare provider does not use too much energy to ablate the tissue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The doctor then guides a tube containing a pair of tiny needles through the cystoscope into the area(s) where the blockage is present. The needles are specially positioned in the tube and connected to a generator that produces radiofrequency energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The needles are inserted through the urethra into adjacent lateral lobes of the prostate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the radio frequency (RF) power is applied, the tissue between them is heated to a level (approximately 230 degrees Fahrenheit, which causes coagulation. The dead coagulated tissue is later absorbed by the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the provider is certain, the needles are in position at the urethral blockage. The generator is triggered to produce a short burst of radiofrequency energy at the tips of the needles. The voltage generates heat that ablates the tissue and creates scar tissue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The success of the procedure depends on the bodies’ gradual absorption of the dead and scarred tissue. As the body absorbs the tissue, urine flows more easily. Thus, it may take a few weeks or more for the procedure to fully take effect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Patient selection considerations <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While TURP is the most common medical procedure recommended by medical practitioners for the treatment of BPH, many men are happy to avoid treatment (such as a TURP) that can cause retrograde ejaculation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While retrograde ejaculation is not a severe functional disability, it is unacceptable for many men. A TUNA procedure is minimally invasive and can help prevent the progression of BPH into severe genitourinary conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Urinary retention<\/a> is often a result of a long time untreated BPH and can be a serious condition that can cause severe kidney damage. This is particularly true of men of advanced age. A TUNA procedure may relieve many of their symptoms for several years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

TUNA is an option for patients who have failed treatment using medication or natural remedies<\/a>. It is minimally invasive, there is no hospital stay needed, and it can be done as an outpatient procedure with low-level topical rather than risky general anesthesia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients with extremely large prostates<\/a> may face additional risks with a TURP that is not an issue with the TUNA procedure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Risks of Transurethral Needle Ablation <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

TUNA is generally a minimally invasive procedure<\/a> that has few significant complications.

However, like any procedure that is destroying or cutting away tissue, it carries some risks as follows: <\/p>\n\n\n\n