Treatments
Areas we treat
The Prostate
- The prostate is a walnut sized gland found only in men that sits just below the bladder and in front of the rectum.
The Bladder and Urethra
- The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that acts rather like a balloon in that it expands to collect and store urine.
The Kidneys and Ureters
- The kidneys are bean shaped organs which are about the size of a fist; one kidney is on each side of the spine.
Male Reproductive System
- The male reproductive system is made up of the external genitalia.
Treatments
The techniques we employ
High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)
High Intensity Focused Ultrasound is a non-invasive acoustic ablation technique that uses high frequency ultrasound waves to heat and destroy cancer cells in the prostate.
HIFU is one of the treatments for prostate cancer that is completely localised within the prostate and has not spread to other areas of the body.
Acoustic Ablation
Acoustic ablation uses intersecting, tightly focused ultrasound waves to raise the temperature of the target tissue to more than 80-90 degrees Celsius in two to three seconds, effectively destroying the tissue.
- Significantly less pain
- Less blood loss
- Fewer complications
- Less scarring
- A shorter hospital stay and quicker return to normal daily activities
    
Ultrasound energy is non-ionizing “clean energy” that does not affect tissue surrounding the target zone, as opposed to radiation therapies.
HIFU treatment in approved countries can be given in one to four hours on an outpatient basis with epidural anaesthesia.
HIFU is being studied around the world to treat all types of cancer and soft tissue diseases.
Researchers in UCH, London have presented a research study to fellow surgeons and oncologists at the British Prostate Group, with 83% of men treated to a PSA nadir of 0.2ng/ml or less. This very low level of PSA is used as a marker by more established techniques such as radiotherapy to predict cancer cure rates at 10 years. The PSA level can be reached after just 3 months with HIFU treatment, giving men early peace of mind that they have been successfully treated.
Mr Christopher Ogden is one of the pioneering Urologists with regards to HIFU treatment which began at the same time as his pioneering work in robotic surgery.
He is one of the few surgeons in the world who has assessed the comparisons between whole gland HIFU and robotic surgery and more recently he co-authored a paper on the outcomes of whole gland HIFU which was accepted for publication in the Journal of Urology.
He is also one of the leading Consultants in the multicentre index trial. The index trial focuses on the clinical effectiveness of focal HIFU and promises to offer certain men better functional outcomes with regards to treatment for prostate cancer. It carefully assesses the early oncological outcomes which have been encouraging in small groups of patients with early follow up.
Robotic Prostate Surgery
Less invasive than traditional surgery
When medication and other non-surgical treatments are either unavailable or cannot relieve symptoms, surgery is the accepted treatment for a broad range of conditions that affect the male reproductive organs and the organs of the urinary tract. These conditions include, but are not limited to, prostate cancer, ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction, bladder and kidney cancer and vesicoureteral reflux.
Facing any kind of urologic surgery creates a great deal of anxiety for most men.
Among your concerns: “Will my body function normally following surgery?”
Traditional open urologic surgery – in which large incisions are made to access the pelvic organs – has been the standard approach when surgery is warranted. Yet common drawbacks of this procedure include significant post-surgical pain, a lengthy recovery and an unpredictable, potentially long-term impact on continence and sexual function.
Fortunately, less invasive surgical options are available to many patients facing urologic surgery. The most common of these is laparoscopy, which uses small incisions.
While laparoscopy can be very effective for many routine procedures, limitations of this technology prevent its use for more complex urologic surgeries.
A new category of surgery, introduced with the development of the da Vinci® Surgical System, is being used by an increasing number of surgeons worldwide for prostatectomy and other urologic procedures. This minimally invasive approach, utilising the latest in surgical and robotic technologies, is ideal for delicate urologic surgery.
This includes prostatectomy, in which the target site is not only tightly confined but also surrounded by nerves affecting urinary control and sexual function. Using da Vinci®, your surgeon has a better tool to spare surrounding nerves, which may enhance both your recovery experience and clinical outcomes.
Referred to by many as robotic surgery for prostate cancer or robotic prostatectomy, da Vinci® Prostatectomy is more accurately a robot-assisted, minimally invasive surgery that is quickly becoming the preferred treatment for removal of the prostate following early diagnosis of prostate cancer.
In fact, studies suggest that da Vinci®Prostatectomy may be the most effective, least invasive prostate surgery performed today.
Though any diagnosis of cancer can be traumatic, the good news is that if your Doctor recommends prostate surgery, the cancer was probably caught early. With da Vinci® Prostatectomy, the likelihood of a complete recovery from prostate cancer without long-term side effects is, for most patients, better than it has ever been.
The da Vinci® Prostatectomy is performed with the assistance of the da Vinci® Surgical System – the latest evolution in robotics technology. The da Vinci® Surgical System enables surgeons to operate.
Multi Disciplinary Approach
With the best prostate cancer clinicians and specialists in the country gathered in one location, The Royal Marsden Hospital and the Cromwell Hospital Multidisciplinary Team Meeting (MDT) ensure they provide patients with the highest quality of care with the most up-to-date treatments available to patients who been newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. This approach guarantees patients receive information on all possible treatment options by balancing advantages with related side effects.
Both Mr Ogden and Mr Dinneen’s patients are discussed at the MDT meeting to enable them to plan and deliver the most effective treatment and care for the individual patient by:
- Specialist review of all pathologic and radiographic investigations
- Review of all possible treatment options/treatment plans by expert body
- A body of opinion to support the patient in making an informed choice as to how they want to approach their disease
Mr Dinneen is the Chairman of the dedicated Cromwell prostate cancer MDT meeting and both Mr Ogden and Mr Dinneen attend regularly.