Minimally Invasive Treatment Options

Minimally invasive treatments are specially designed procedures that serve as effective alternatives to extensive "open" surgery and external beam radiation. Among the techniques in use in the clinical center:

Laparoscopy, also known as "keyhole surgery," is a surgical technique in which a standard operation is performed through three or more 1/2-inch incisions rather than through one long incision (so-called "open" surgery). A tiny video camera on the end of a scope is inserted through one of the incisions and the physician is guided by what he or she sees on a video monitor. At Southwestern Medical Center, the clinical center's physicians are highly trained at performing a laparoscopic alternative to the standard radical prostatectomy for cancer of the prostate, as well as operations to remove other cancerous tissues.

Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation involves the use of a needle-like probe placed through the skin that can destroy tumors cells by heating them with high frequency radiowaves (similar to microwave heating).

Brachytherapy involves the implantation of radioactive seeds into an organ or gland, such as the prostate, to kill cancer cells -- thereby avoiding prolonged external beam radiation. At Southwestern Medical Center, these radioactive seeds (about the size of a grain of rice and containing either Iodine 125 or Palladium 103) emit low energy X-rays that destroy the cancer cells while leaving the rest of the body relatively unharmed.

For more information about the Department of Urology, contact:

Phone: 214-648-4765, FAX: 214-648-4789

Mailing Address: 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., J8.148, Dallas, TX 75390-9110