A few months ago it became apparent that my Prostate Cancer treated by proton beam five years or so ago, had returned.
It was confirmed by MRI and Pet Scan.
A month or so ago, I had mapping by needle biopsy under general anesthesia. Only one was positive but close to the urethra and its valves. Gleason score is now 9.
So after considering the options with experts I have elected to have a cryoablation procedure. This is a cutting edge interventional radiology approach done in an interventional MRI suite. I did not know there were such units to be honest. They are very new and none in Europe yet.
Unlike an X-ray/CT unit an MRI can not be switched off. The magnet's electromagnetic coil is cooled as close as possible to absolute zero, with liquid Helium. So the coil once energized, has a continuous flow of electricity without adding more energy. The magnetic field is incredibly intense. So anything brought into the room must be not magnetic and incapable of having current induced in it from the intense magnetic field. So totally novel instrumentation has to be used. The interventional radiologist has to have a precise and continuous view of the operative field on the MRI monitor screen.
The procedure which will take three to four hours under general anesthesia, will involve insertion of the delivery device into the lesion, and liquid argon inert gas inserted into the lesion. This will be cooled as close as possible to 0 degrees Kelvin (-273C).
As this is happening the urethra will be warmed with liquid Helium to protect the urethral valves.
So, time will tell how all this works out. I return four days later for studies, and hopefully catheter removal. I will stay in a hotel the night before and the night after the procedure. I enter St. Mary's Hospital Rochester MN on Friday morning at 7:00 AM.
Don't be surprised if my responses are tardy for a while.
