Dr. Robert Pugach, medical director for Pacific Coast Urology in Los Alamitos, and registered nurse Gladys Rentie, spent one week with Chinese physicians and nurses providing instruction and hands-on training in thermotherapy using the new Coolwave system, which he introduced to Southern California last year.
Thermotherapy is used to treat men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or an enlarged prostate.
Pugach focuses his practice on minimally invasive urological procedures. He has been named one of America’s top physicians four years in a row by the Consumers’ Research Council of America. Pugach was instrumental in helping to reopen Community Hospital of Long Beach and served as its president and CEO from June 2001 to Feb. 2003.
Pugach uses Cooled ThermoTherapy, a non-surgical, minimally invasive, office-based treatment to treat BPH in a single, 30-minute session. “Cooled ThermoTherapy uses precisely targeted microwave energy to heat and shrink enlarged prostate tissues while a cooling mechanism protects healthy surrounding tissue,” Pugach said.
BPH is a non-cancerous condition in which the prostate cells increase in number. Left untreated, it can result in urological problems.
Prior to 1993, surgery or medications with short-term benefits were the only recommended treatment available for men with prostate enlargement.
“While surgery can provide a good outcome, it comes with significant risks and associated costs related to hospitalization and recovery time. Some of the risks include Erectile Dysfunction (ED), incontinence, retrograde ejaculation, and a need for blood transfusion,” Pugach said.
