Urologix Announces Poster Presentation at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association

The poster "Cost-Effectiveness Markov Model Comparing High- and Low-Energy Transurethral Microwave Therapy for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia" will be presented Tuesday morning, May 20^th, by Dr. Ulchaker from the Cleveland Clinic.

MINNEAPOLIS, May 6, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Urologix, Inc. ULGX, the market leader for In-Office BPH Therapy, today announced that data demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of high energy Transurethral Microwave Therapy (TUMT) versus low energy alternatives will be presented at the American Urological Association (AUA) 2014 Annual Meeting to be held May 16 – 21, 2014, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

The poster will be presented Tuesday morning, May 20th at 10:30am ET, by James C. Ulchaker, MD, a practicing Urologist with the Cleveland Clinic. His presentation will review results from a clinical and economic model that calculates the cost-effectiveness of Low Energy Transurethral Microwave Therapy (LE-TUMT) and High Energy (HE) TUMT, such as Urologix's Cooled ThermoTherapy. The model incorporates a review of the peer reviewed published data on these two classes of TUMT technologies and factors in the Medicare costs, published outcomes, side effects and retreatment rates.  The results indicate that the HE-TUMT technologies are less expensive and more effective over time.

"The elderly population is growing, and the cost and quality of life impacts of BPH among aging men are growing with it.  Estimates put the annual direct costs to treat BPH today at over $4 billion.  There is a great need to expand our knowledge of how decisions on technology and treatment selection for BPH affect healthcare costs as well as outcomes.  These types of clinical and economic models are important first steps to help shine a light on comparing cost effectiveness," stated Dr. Jim Ulchaker of the Cleveland Clinic.

"In today's healthcare system, there is a growing mandate that everyone involved evaluate both the costs and the effectiveness of treatment choices," commented Greg Fluet, Chief Executive Officer of Urologix. "We are excited to help support research that will enable urologists, patients and payers to make more knowledgeable decisions and understand the cost-effective treatment options for BPH patients we offer. Their choices can potentially save patients and the healthcare system thousands of dollars per patient."

Urologix offers early and effective treatment options for obstructive and symptomatic urinary conditions due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and provides urologists with two proven technologies to treat the widest range of patients, with Cooled ThermoTherapy™ and Prostiva® RF Therapy. BPH, also known as enlarged prostate, affects the majority of men as they age and can create irritating symptoms which significantly impact quality of life. This disease continues to be predominantly treated with medications; however, research has shown that drugs are not always effective and can produce unpleasant side effects. Cooled ThermoTherapy and Prostiva RF Therapy have proven their results through numerous clinical studies and are recommended treatment options within American Urology Association guidelines. To learn more about Urologix and these products, visit www.urologix.com.

About Urologix

Urologix, Inc., based in Minneapolis, develops, manufactures, markets and distributes minimally invasive medical products for the treatment of obstruction and symptoms due to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).  Urologix's Cooled ThermoTherapy produces targeted microwave energy combined with a unique cooling mechanism to protect healthy tissue and enhance patient comfort.  The Prostiva RF Therapy System delivers radio frequency energy directly into the prostate destroying prostate tissue, reducing constriction of the urethra, and thereby relieving BPH symptoms.  Both of these therapies provide safe, effective and lasting relief of obstruction and symptoms due to BPH.  Prostiva is a registered trademark of Medtronic, Inc., used under license.  All other trademarks are the property of Urologix.

Federal USA law restricts these devices to sale by or on the order of a physician. For more complete information about the benefits, risks and contraindications associated with Cooled ThermoTherapy and Prostiva RF Therapy, please refer to the product labeling which accompanies the device and can be found on the Urologix website.

If you would like more information on this topic, please contact Susan Overby at 763-745-1540 or soverby@urologix.com. To learn more about Urologix and its products and services, visit www.urologix.com. 

The Urologix logo is available at www.urologix.com/clinicians/resource-library.php.