LAUSR

Recent clinical pilot studies that explored focal therapy of prostate cancer have reported that thermal-ablation technology (including microwave coagulation, or cryoablation) is effective for controlling clinically signi fi cant cancer. 1,2 Thermal-ablation therapies that target prostate cancer, especially in peripheral zone near the rectum, need to avoid rectal injury by protecting the rectal wall (RW), and ensuring enough distance between the rectum and prostate. Hydrogel spacer is an absorbable gel that is injected into Denonvilliers ’ space to widen the distance between the rectum and prostate. Hydrogel is being utilized worldwide to minimize adverse effects of radiotherapy for prostate cancer. 3 – 5 We hypothesize hydrogel spacers play a signi fi - cant role in minimizing adverse effects of thermal-ablation therapies, and have reported the role for freeze-ablation (cryotherapy) in cadaver model. 6 This study aimed to investigate the safety and ef fi cacy of hydrogel spacer in heat-up-ablation (microwave) therapy using Micro-taze®-AFM-712 (Alfresa Pharma Corporation) with microwave tissue coagulation needle (CMD-16CBL-10/250) and a guiding needle (CMD-16CBL). This was carried out by using a monitoring system with both real-time imaging of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and temperature mapping using multiple thermocouples (TCs) during microwave therapy in a cadaver model. A