Remote Prostate HIFU Marks Global Surgery Milestone
Ruben Olivares, MD, discusses the first remote transcontental HIFU therapy for prostate cancer.
In a first-of-its-kind procedure, Ruben Olivares, MD, urologist at Cleveland Clinic, supported a robotic-assisted focal therapy for prostate cancer happening in Abu Dhabi from the US. The procedure used Focal One high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and serves as a proof-of-concept for global remote procedures.
“Abu Dhabi can do this procedure remotely, without my help, But if we do this, we are going to prove that it's feasible and safe. So in the future, urologists with no training in new technology can provide with the same confidence because something goes wrong, the expert can take over and do the case,” Olivares explained in an interview with Targeted OncologyTM.
The Focal One system enhances focal therapy, precisely targeting a specific section of the prostate with ultrasound beams, eliminating the need for major surgery or radiation. The remote 1-hour procedure was completed successfully without complications.
This procedure opens the door for possibilities to remote procedures, providing benefits for both health care professionals and patients. On the health care professional side, Olivares notes that treatment paradigms are always shifting, and providers may not have experience in the latest therapies. This can limit the types of therapies they are willing or able to provide to patients. By being able to do robotic-assisted procedures remotely, health care providers can feel more confident in offering the best treatment path for patients, regardless of their level of experience. It also allows for greater collaboration between providers, allowing them to learn on the job.
“I think that [it can] enhance training and collaboration. We can share experience, and now we are talking about focalized treatment for prostate cancer, but that opens a big opportunity for different specialties,” Olivares says.
For patients, remote procedures have the potential to ease the burdens of travel by connecting them with the best provider for the job, regardless of their geographic location. Olivares notes, however, that there are still many logistics to work out to make this a reality, but he is hopeful.
“What if in the future, we can connect from my home country, Chile, from Abu Dhabi, from Australia, to a meeting, and I can do a case in real time,” Olivares says.
