Dr. Stephen Scionti, located in Sarasota, Florida, is a Prostate Cancer HIFU Treatment Specialist and is considered the most experienced HIFU doctor in North America. Dr. Scionti has been involved in well over 1500 procedures dating back to early 2006 and prior to FDA approval of HIFU in 2015, treated his US patients in clinics in Nassau, Bahamas, Bermuda, Grand Cayman, Cancun, and Puerto Vallarta. Dr Scionti, a HIFU specialist, also served as the Director of Clinical Education and Training for USHIFU ( now SonaCare Medical) and directed training and proctoring of the US FDA clinical trial procedures. Dr Scionti offers advanced MRI Fusion Guided HIFU treatment in Sarasota Florida at the Vituro Health Sarasota Elite HIFU Center. As National Medical Director for Vituro Health, Dr. Scionti has designed the treatment protocols and training program for US urologists learning how to perform HIFU treatment. Dr. Scionti's HIFU Center on Sarasota, FL has treated more prostate cancer patients with HIFU than any other center in the United States. Dr. Scionti personally performs the entire HIFU procedure and never delegates any part of the procedure to other doctors or technicians. The Scionti MMM ( Triple M) HIFU treatment is the most advanced technique in the world and incorporates MRI Mapping and energy Modulation to assure that the cancer is treated effectively while greatly reducing energy and side effects to normal tissue.
If you are considering HIFU for prostate cancer, do your research. This highly complex procedure can effectively destroy prostate cancer tissue without the side effects commonly seen by surgery or radiation. However, excellent results require a highly experienced HIFU surgeon with access to the latest technology. Be aware that there are many US doctors offering HIFU treatment with minimal experience.Dr. Scionti has treatment slots available in Sarasota. Call the Scionti Prostate Center today and 941-702-5595 to see if you are a candidate.
HIFU Overview:
HIFU is a revolutionary high tech approach to treating prostate cancer. The technology has been under development for 30 years and was first used in Europe to treat prostate cancer in 1995. It has been approved for use in Europe, Asia, Mexico and the Caribbean for many years , and is now FDA approved in the USA for prostate tissue ablation. In 2014, HIFU was incorporated into the EAU (European Urology Association) guidelines as a salvage treatment for prostate cancer. MRI images are often used by Dr. Scionti to design the HIFU treatment, ensuring that the prostate tumor receive sufficient energy to ablate and destroy the cancer cells. The integration of MRI fusion into the HIFU treatment is the most important component of the Scionti MMM (Triple M) HIFU technique.
Description of HIFU treatment:
The Scionti MMM (Triple M) HIFU treatment is designed ahead of time, on a computer workstation using MRI images. The process of MRI image guidance , also known as Fusion, allows for mapping of the tumor as seen by MRI onto the ultrasound images in the HIFU machine.
During HIFU: Precision HIFU treatment requires that the patient be absolutely still. Therefore, a general anesthetic is administered during the procedure. I will insert a small probe (HIFU transducer) into the rectum that sends ultrasound waves directly through the rectal wall and into the prostatic tissue. A 3- D image of the prostate is obtained by ultrasound and the MRI images are then registered or fused onto the ultrasound images in the HIFU machine. (MRI mapping). During the procedure, HIFU device delivers real-time images of your prostate and the surrounding area giving me immediate and detailed feedback. The HIFU energy is Modulated or adjusted to achieve a higher energy dosage on the worst part of the tumor. Treatment time varies, but generally the procedure lasts a few hours, depending on the size of the prostate. The new TCM (tissue change monitoring) software allows me to determine the effectiveness of each HIFU pulse in order to ensure that the targeted tissue was successfully treated.
After HIFU: Immediately after the HIFU procedure most patients typically spend one to two hours recovering at the hospital based treatment facility and then are discharged. At that time I will prescribe some basic medications, but most patients do not experience any pain after the procedure. You will be discharged with a catheter in place to drain your bladder for 5 - 7 days. In cases of targeted focal treatment, the catheter is only needed for a few days.
Post HIFU care: You will be in close contact with our HIFU care team during the initial recovery phase. If you live a significant distance from Sarasota, you will be speaking with our team every few days until I give you the green light to have your local physician remove your catheter (this is a simple process). If you are local to Sarasota, you will be followed very closely in my office. You will have your first PSA blood test at 3 months post procedure. This 3 month PSA test represents your new baseline or nadir (low point) level and I will ask you to get your PSA every 3 months in year 1 post HIFU and every 6 months thereafter. If you live at a significant distance from Sarasota, it would be ideal to see me personally for an office follow up visit at the time of your 1-year anniversary post HIFU. The Scionti Prostate Center offers a Virtual Clinic Follow up program that is designed for patients that live at a distance from Sarasota.
Potential Side Effects and Complications
All treatments for prostate cancer carry some risk for potential side effects and complications. Treatment related side effects are related to the extent of treatment necessary. Side effects can include frequency, urgency to urinate, mild discomfort , or urinary infection in the first few weeks after HIFU. Studies performed outside the US report that less common side effects (these may be more severe) may also include urinary stricture (scar formation in the urinary channel), urinary retention, incontinence (1 – 1.5%), impotence (up to 25% risk) and rectal fistula (very rare: less than 0.3%). Focal or partial gland treatments carry a lower risk of side effects if you are a candidate for that type of HIFU treatment. As with any medical procedure, all potential side effects and complications should be discussed with your HIFU physician before undergoing therapy. Experience matters when it comes to minimizing your risk for side effects.
Trust the most experienced HIFU physician in the USA, Dr. Stephen Scionti, and the Scionti Prostate Center to treat your prostate cancer
Get on with your life!