March 19, 2019 — EDAP TMS SA announced that Houston Methodist Hospital, one of the first hospitals in the U.S. to offer Ablatherm robotic high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for patients with localized prostate cancer, has acquired the advanced Focal One HIFU technology. Houston Methodist Hospital initially invested in EDAP's first-generation HIFU system, Ablatherm, in early 2016, and within two years of positive experience made the decision to invest in the next-generation Focal One device.
"Each proposal for cutting edge medical technology must demonstrate how a new procedure will benefit patients, how it differs from competing technologies and how it contributes to the hospital's overall growth," said Michael Garcia, senior vice president, operations at Houston Methodist Hospital. "In deciding whether to invest in Focal One, we applied these same due diligence principles that we used in the previous technology evaluations. Following the successful business case that we experienced with Ablatherm, we believe Focal One's capabilities will meet and exceed our expectations."
"Focal One realizes the promise of focal therapy for prostate cancer that has long been anticipated," said Brian Miles, M.D., professor of urology at Houston Methodist's Weill Cornell Medical College, who championed the effort to acquire Focal One. "Just like the lumpectomy has become a standard option for treating breast cancer, we can now use Focal One to ablate only the diseased portion of the prostate when appropriate, rather than removing the prostate altogether."
For more information: www.edap-tms.com
October 19, 2026 
