Medical Treatment of the Prostate Gland. Part 6
The Department of Urology of the New York Hospital
(Given January 31, 1941)
Diseases of the Prostate Gland
Prostatitis
2. Chronic Prostatitis
Chemotherapy has given a new hope in the treatment of chronic prostatitis, with the introduction of the sulf onamides and mandelic acid. Other useful drugs are salol and methenamine used with acid sodium phosphate. When prostatic pain is very severe, sedatives are often necessary. The barbiturates usually suffice, but occasionally it is necessary to give codeine, pantopon, or morphine. When there is pain in the region of the prostate, or during micturition, the patient should be given a soothing prescription, such as Kirwin’s mixture:
| Potassium citrate | Drams VI | (24 cc.) |
| Tinct. Hyoscyami | Ounces I | (30 cc.) |
| Tinct. Opii camphorata | Ounces I | (30 cc.) |
| Elix. Saw palmetto et Santalwood q.s. ad. | Ounces IV | (120 cc.) |
|
Sig: — Drams II (8 cc.) q. 4 hours |
||
Spices and alcohol should be eliminated from the diet and constipation avoided. When there is marked vesical irritation, a restricted diet should be used, which limits meat, tea and coffee, and eliminates certain foods which are irritating to the bladder, such as asparagus, carrots, tomatoes, berries.
The application of heat to the inflamed prostate has definite therapeutic value. Relief may often be obtained by hot sitz baths, hot rectal irrigations, diathermy, or radiothermy. The Elliott treatment regulator, introduced through the rectum, is an effective method of applying dry heat directly to the prostate and adjacent structures.
Occasionally a prostate becomes so infected that no amount of treatment by these methods will effect a cure. Total prostatectomy is then indicated.