Rezum therapy

What is Rezum therapy?

Rezum therapy refers to a minimally invasive treatment method for benign prostatic hyperplasia, a disorder characterized by impaired urination, which affects men at an older age. This is one of the most common conditions in men. The main idea behind the therapy is the release of steam, which generates energy during condensation. This heat energy is passed into the enlarged prostate, where it kills the proliferating tissue. Subsequently, the body degrades the dead tissue itself, so that the volume of the prostate is reduced. After several weeks, the symptoms can often be alleviated. Usually, the problem will be completely resolved after up to three months, and the urethra will widen again so that the troublesome pressure on the bladder will disappear.

Who can benefit from the procedure?

It is performed in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia whose prostate volume ranges from about 30 to 80 cm³. The clinical picture includes problems with urination with an increased urgency, as well as a weakened urinary stream and dribbling after bladder emptying. There are also drugs and surgical procedures available for treatment. Especially patients who do not want a surgery with associated risks or who are not eligible for general anesthesia may undergo modern minimally invasive Rezum therapy. Also patients unwilling to receive long-term medication or those suffering from medication adverse effects like dizziness and erectile dysfunction are eligible for the steam procedure.

Procedure and duration

Patients are administered a sedative for the treatment. As a result, the patient does not perceive anything from the actual treatment. Initially, the physician performs endoscopy of the urethra and bladder. Then a probe is introduced into the urethra, which has a needle at its tip that can be pushed out. Proper positioning of the probe is monitored by the examiner with a cystoscopic camera. The water steam is then delivered into the enlarged prostate tissue through the needle, which can be slid out. At this point, the water steam reaches a temperature of between seventy and one hundred degrees. The hot steam spreads through the tissue and leads to denaturation of the cell walls. Duration of this procedure is only about five to ten minutes, after which patients usually spend only one day in the hospital. Patients can usually return to everyday activities and sports straight away.

Risks and side effects

As there is no need for a urethral incision and the procedure is done under local anesthesia, it is generally regarded as a very low-risk, gentle and well-tolerated procedure. Potential side effects can include painful urination following the procedure, blood in the urine, and suspected urinary tract infection. One of the advantages of the treatment is that the patient's erectile function remains intact. Similarly, no additional medication is required after the intervention. In rare cases, should the excessive tissue form again, the Rezum therapy can be easily repeated.

What clinics and doctors specialize in the area of Rezum therapy?

Outpatient urologists and doctors in the Department of Urology specialize in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Urologists examine the prostate and establish a treatment plan. In the event they decide to proceed with steam therapy, the treatment is provided on an outpatient basis in specialized centers.

If you're in need of a doctor, you expect the best medical care possible. So of course patients are curious to find out what clinic to go to. As there is no objective way to answer this question and a legitimate doctor would never claim to be the best, patients must rely on a doctor's experience.

Let us help you find an expert for your condition. All listed doctors and clinics have been reviewed by us for their outstanding specialization in the field of Rezum therapy and are looking forward to your inquiry or wish for treatment.

Quellen:

• www.prostata-therapie.de/das-gesundheitskonzept-fuer-maenner/gutartige-prostata-vergroesserung/rezum-wasserdamptherapie/
• Aktuelle Urologie 2018; 49(06): 519
• www.bostonscientific.com/DE-Deutsch/medizinische-fachrichtungen/urologie/bph-overview-de/Clinical-Evidence/rezum-5-year-data.html
• www.universimed.com/ch/article/urologie-andrologie/wasserdampftherapie-als-alternative-2126192