Has anyone undergone the Tulsa Procedure for prostate tumors?

From what I have read, it seems extremely promising. I would like to hear from anyone who has had this minimally invasive procedure.

I was told not available in NYC. Insurance supposed to get back. Never did. If it wasn’t for my Wife I’d give up. My wife had ablation twice on her heart. Too much money to be made with existing, and paid for, technology. Office managers and doctors run the show. Good luck.

It is available in York PA. Wellspan Health Care System. Don't give up! I will post any new findings.

Thank you, Connecticut and Massachusetts as well do it. I attempted to contact them. They requested a procedure code. Still awaiting a response from my insurance. Not very optimistic. Very frustrating!

To my way of thinking, TULSA offers hope. Not only for a longer life but also for a better quality of life.

Great news for me, getting my PC, ablated in October. One time deal. Stage 2c. They will freeze the most damaged tissue via a catheter. If I listened to my first oncologist I would be taking orgovyx for two years and 40 plus days of radiation. The medication is for advanced cases. The radiation is a problem since I have intestinal issues. Get second opinions. Do your research. I’ve been looking for an ablation procedure in NYC. I took the horrible medication for two months. Horrible side effects. It angers me that the doctor would subject me to such drastic treatment. Good luck to all. I find more beneficial information in sites like this.

I had the Tulsa procedure done at York hospital Nov. 27 2023. I was 73 at the time and since I was not contemplating any more children the doctor recommended a full oblation of the prostate. My prostate was tennis ball sized and reduced to the size of a small walnut. The procedure itself was painless for me and I was on my way home in about 4 hours. The catheter was the toughest part of the experience as your expected to have that in place for around 12 days. When I left the hospital the doctor who performed the procedure was very adamant that I was going to have no further problems with cancer and wished me a wonderful life. For the next year my PSA was monitored every 4 months and also monitored with 2 MRI’s .The psa’s never went below 1.0 instead the results showed a slowly rising value. In December of 2024 the doctor that wished me a wonderful life wanted to schedule a targeted MRI. I had the procedure done and the results that came back showed a grade 8 cancer in one location. In 1 year it jumped from grade 7 to an 8. The doctor explained that they were finding that a specific area of prostate that was being undertreated due to critical nerve bundles was where the cancer was located. Unfortunately I had a cancer cell or a small group of them in that location. I also had cells in 3 other locations that were eradicated by the procedure. Tulsa works but if you have cells in that nerve bundles area then it’s a worthless endeavor. One more observation since I’m currently living this is If you need to have your prostrate surgically removed after Tulsa this is what you should expect. This was explained to me by a very good urologist who would do the surgery that I was considering. Picture a grilled cheese sandwich. To try to spare these necessary nerve bundles was like trying to separate the cheese from the bread . I then talked to a radiation oncologist and opted for SBRT radiation therapy. I’m currently waiting to get the results back for a PSA test that I am due to have done in a couple of weeks. Tulsa will work but cancer cell location needs to be a concern and then any possible further treatments to the prostate after the Tulsa procedure is done, like prostectomy should thoroughly be discussed.

Thank you so much for sharing your journey thus far, Dennis. I am having a trans rectal fusion needle biopsy on Friday. After the diagnosis, if I am eligible, I am considering TULSA or SBRT (proton beam). I very much appreciate your perspective. Best of luck to you in the future.

The SBRT therapy has side effects and could cause problems years down the road. It’s hard to know what to discuss with your doctors. No question is a dumb one and I believe they don’t fully disclose the down side of things until they get asked the right questions. Good luck with your journey as well. I pray Tulsa will work for you , keep the faith.

Update, my Wife located an ablation procedure in NYC. Scheduled a one day procedure later this year. They will freeze the most serious sections. For a person with existing health conditions it is ideal. ADT. Wreaked havoc on my system for two months. The planned radiation would have severely impacted my colon and probably my bladder. Realistically, at my age and anticipated life span, it was the logical choice. Not for everyone. Good luck and feel better to all.

The Tulsa Procedure is an emerging treatment option that uses focused ultrasound technology to target specific areas of the prostate. Many community members find it helpful to connect with others who have explored similar treatment paths, so hopefully some members here can share their experiences or research with this approach.