HIFU stands for High Intensity Focused Ultrasound. It is a treatment for organ confined prostate cancer. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has decided that HIFU is ‘safe enough and works well enough for use in the NHS’.
The HIFU prostate treatment does not involve an incision and uses intersecting, precision focused ultrasound waves to raise the temperature of the target tissue to 80-90 degrees Celsius in two to three seconds, effectively destroying the targeted cancerous tissues.

What is the preparation for HIFU?

On the day before the procedure you will have to take a bowel preparation at home. You may have a light breakfast and then commence on clear fluids for the rest of the day. You are allowed to drink water until 2 hours before admission.

You will be admitted to hospital on the morning of the HIFU. You will be given an enema on admission and any necessary blood tests, ECG or x-rays will be undertaken.

Your consultant will usually see you before you go to theatre and ask you to sign informed consent. You will be seen by the anaesthetist.

How is the HIFU performed?

You will be given a general anaesthetic. An ultrasound probe is placed in the rectum and the prostate is imaged.

The ultrasound probe is then used to focus high-intensity sound waves on a particular area of the prostate, causing heat in the tissues.

This heat causes prostate tissue death.

The process is repeated over the whole area of prostatic tumour until all the cancerous tissue has been destroyed.

A trans-urethral or supra-pubic catheter is left in place following the procedure for drainage of urine. This is because there will be swelling in the area which will impede your ability to pass urine. The catheter remains in for 3-14 days.

On average you will be in theatre for between 2-4 hours.

What happens after the treatment?

Usually you will be discharged home later on the same day as the HIFU treatment.

You may eat and drink as soon as you are awake and will be encouraged to walk.

About 60% of patients experience no trouble and will pass urine with a good flow, good control, low frequency and no incontinence within a few days of having the catheter removed.

Approximately 30-40% of patients may experience some urinary symptoms due to the debris causing an obstruction of the urethra.