ATLANTA, GEORGIA (PRWEB) OCTOBER 03, 2017 -- Georgia Urology, the largest urology practice in the Southeastern United States, continues its ongoing mission to be on the cutting edge of prostate cancer therapies by performing the revolutionary HIFU (high intensity focused ultrasound) procedure on qualified patients. As one of the first physicians to use HIFU in the Southeast, Dr. Vahan Kassabian, Medical Director of Georgia Urology, performs the acclaimed therapy with remarkable results.
“HIFU is truly a minimally invasive procedure that rids a man of prostate cancer,” said Dr. Kassabian, “while preserving the important functions, both sexual and urinary, without any form of radiation or damage to other organs.”
During the one-to-three-hour non-surgical, outpatient procedure, the physician directs the ultrasound energy, also known as sound waves, toward diseased prostate tissue. HIFU sound waves create heat that burns away the malignancy, destroying the targeted prostate cancer cells without harming surrounding tissue. Birmingham, Ala.-based company Vituro Health provides the HIFU technology Dr. Kassabian uses.
The procedure drastically reduces side effects, such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence, and offers the same efficacy rates as traditional, more invasive prostate treatment options.
“My outcome has been very successful,” said Rich Gaffoglio, who underwent the procedure in his late 60s. “I have not suffered from the side effects that often accompany radical prostatectomies.”
HIFU usually allows for a more rapid recovery: no overnight hospitalization, and a return to normal daily activities within a few days. In less than a week after Dr. Kassabian performed the procedure, Gaffoglio found himself back on the golf course.
It’s the satisfaction he sees in his patients that inspires Dr. Kassabian’s HIFU efforts. Dually board certified in the United States and Canada, Dr. Kassabian would travel to Canada and other international HIFU locations to carry out the breakthrough procedure before HIFU became available in America. With his extensive background in HIFU, Dr. Kassabian has been recognized as the area’s foremost physician in this field of treatment.
“Bringing HIFU to Georgia Urology ranks as a career highpoint for me,” Dr. Kassabian explained. “Pairing groundbreaking technology with a groundbreaking practice makes perfect sense. And I’m honored to be involved with both.”
Georgia Urology is the largest urology practice in Atlanta and throughout the Southeast. Georgia Urology has more than 30 locations and six ambulatory surgery centers. The practice is comprised of more than 40 physicians, many of whom are fellowship-trained and hold advanced specialty training in oncology, laparoscopy, infertility, incontinence and pediatrics. Georgia Urology physicians use state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and advanced treatment techniques, including robot-assisted technology and minimally invasive procedures, in order to manage all urological problems in men, women and children. It is the practice’s mission to deliver the highest possible quality of care to all patients and to be the preeminent urology practice in Georgia.
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