Two doctors have agreed to partner with HIFU Prostate Services to offer minimally-invasive prostate cancer treatments that use high intensity focused ultrasound for the first time in the U.S. outside of a clinical trial, according to a news release.
HIFU Prostate Services has partnered with Michael J. Lazar, MD, of Santa Rosa, Calif., and John H. Jurige, of Louisville, Ky. Both physicians will treat patients and train other urologists on how to use the treatments.
HIFU Prostate Services launched operations on Oct. 20 and purchased five Sonablate systems from SonaCare Medical. John W. Linn, the CEO of HIFU Prostate Services, worked at SonaCare Medical for nearly 11 years and helped establish international treatment facilities.
On Oct. 13, the FDA granted a de novo clearance to the Sonablate, which is the first high intensity therapeutic ultrasound device to receive FDA authorization for prostate tissue ablation. The Sonatherm laparoscopic high intensity therapeutic ultrasound device ablation device from SonaCare Medical has also received 510(k) clearance from the FDA.
Lazar, who has performed high intensity focused ultrasound, is also the medical director of HFU Prostate Services and worked with SonaCare medical during clinical trials involving the Sonablate systems. Jurige is a board-certified urologist who has practiced with high intensity focused ultrasound for more than eight years.
Executive Editor
Tim Casey joined TriMed Media Group in 2015 as Executive Editor. For the previous four years, he worked as an editor and writer for HMP Communications, primarily focused on covering managed care issues and reporting from medical and health care conferences. He was also a staff reporter at the Sacramento Bee for more than four years covering professional, college and high school sports. He earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Notre Dame and his MBA degree from Georgetown University.