Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
What you can expect
By Mayo Clinic staff
TUMT takes less than an hour. It's usually done as an outpatient procedure, which means you'll go home the day of the procedure.
You'll be given a local anesthetic to numb the prostate area. The anesthetic may be inserted through the tip of your penis, or given in a shot via your rectum or in the space between your scrotum and anus (perineum).
You'll likely have intravenous (IV) sedation. With IV sedation, you'll be drowsy but remain conscious during the procedure.
During the procedure
Once the anesthetic is working, your doctor will insert a catheter with a microwave antenna into your urethra. A thermometer is inserted into your rectum to check temperature. Both will have balloons attached that hold them in place. Your doctor may check the placement of the catheter and the rectal thermometer using an ultrasound machine.
Once the antenna is in exactly the right place, your doctor will start the procedure. The microwave antenna will cause just enough heat to destroy the prostate tissue blocking your urine flow, but not enough to damage other tissue.
During microwave treatment, water circulates around the tip and sides of the antenna to protect the urethra from heat. Your doctor will give you enough pain medication so that it won't hurt too much — but you'll still feel some heat and discomfort in the prostate and bladder areas. Your doctor will tell you how much discomfort to expect during the procedure and may show you how to use an emergency stop button if the pain gets too bad.
Feeling a little discomfort during the procedure is necessary. Your doctor will ask you about your pain level and adjust your treatment to make sure you're getting enough heat to improve your symptoms — but not so much that it causes unnecessary damage. You'll need to stay as still as possible during the actual microwave treatment. The length of treatment time varies depending on your doctor's preference and the type of microwave therapy machine used.
During treatment, you may have a strong desire to urinate and may feel bladder spasms — sensations that usually go away after the treatment is finished.
After the procedure
After TUMT, you may have a tube (catheter) inserted into the tip of your penis that extends into your bladder. This allows you to pass urine until you can urinate on your own.
After the procedure, follow your doctor's instructions for recovery.
- Don't take blood-thinning medications until your doctor says it's OK.
- Don't do any strenuous activity, such as heavy lifting, for three to five days.
- Don't drive for the rest of the day after your procedure.
- Don't have sex until your doctor says it's OK. Most men can resume sexual activity about two weeks following the procedure.
Short-term side effects of TUMT can include:
- Blood in your urine (hematuria) for a few days after the procedure.
- Irritating urinary symptoms such as painful urination, difficulty urinating, or an urgent or frequent need to urinate. These symptoms usually improve within a few weeks.
- Fitzpatrick JM, et al. Minimally invasive and endoscopic management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. In: Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/125743340-3/0/1445/91.html?tocnode=54305416&fromURL=91.html. Accessed Jan. 27, 2011.
- Guideline on the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Linthicum, MD. American Urological Association. http://www.auanet.org/content/guidelines-and-quality-care/clinical-guidelines.cfm?sub=bph. Accessed Jan. 27, 2011.
- d'Ancona FC. Nonablative minimally invasive thermal therapies in the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. Current Opinion in Urology. 2008;18:21.
- Cunningham GR, et al. Surgical and other invasive therapies of benign prostatic hyperplasia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 2, 2011.
Find Mayo Clinic on