Transurethral Needle Ablation (TUNA® Therapy)

What is TUNA® Therapy?
What are the key benefits of TUNA® Therapy?
How long does the procedure and recovery take?
Are there risks or complications?
How soon after TUNA will my BPH symptoms go away?

What is TUNA® Therapy?
TUNA® Therapy is a proven minimally invasive office-based procedure that destroys excess prostate tissue, which may improve urination. It is used in treatment in men who have difficulty with urination or incomplete bladder emptying, medically know as prostate enlargement and blockage (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or BPH). In the TUNA procedure, obstructive prostate tissue is destroyed using radio frequency energy which is delivered directly into the prostate. Only the obstructive tissue is destroyed. The urethra and the rest of the prostate remain intact.

What are some of the key benefits of TUNA® Therapy?
Some of the key benefits of TUNA Therapy include relief from BPH symptoms, short procedure time in an office or outpatient setting. The recovery is quick and the side effects are few.

How long does the procedure and recovery take?
TUNA Therapy, which takes less than an hour (with some additional preparation time required), requires only minimal anesthesia, and allows you to return to many of your normal activities within 24-48 hours. About 40% of the patients need to be catheterized for 3 days on average. About 60% of patients do not require catheterization. TUNA Therapy is covered by Medicare in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

Are there risks or complications?
Clinical studies have demonstrated that treatment with the TUNA system offers improved urine flow, excellent symptom relief and few side effects and adverse events when compared to traditional surgical treatment. In addition, in the clinical trials, there were no reports of incontinence and few reports of impotence. TUNA Therapy has been on the market since 1996.

How soon after TUNA will my BPH symptoms go away?
Generally you will see improvement in your symptoms in two to six weeks after the procedure and symptoms may continue to improve over two to three months.