Rezum Water Vapour Therapy
Water vapour or steam therapy is a new minimally invasive day stay procedure used for the treatment of men with bothersome urinary symptoms due to benign enlargement of the prostate gland. Steam therapy provides a rapid and durable relief of symptoms with preservation of sexual function. It is an alternative to the long term use of drugs and avoids the potential side effects of prostate surgery.
What Are Symptoms Of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Symptoms of BPH include:
- Waking up at night several times to urinate.
- Not being able to control starting and stopping of urination.
- Feeling like your bladder is not really empty.
- Having a weak urine stream that may start and stop and may dribble at the end.
- Feeling pain or burning while urinating.
Enlarged prostate blocking the flow of urine through the urethra.
What Is Steam Treatment For Enlarged Prostates
Steam treatment for enlarged prostates is an innovative approach for patients suffering with an enlarged prostate that is causing urinary symptoms. It is set to be made more widely available after being given approval for routine use by the health watchdog, NICE. Professor Hashim Ahmed, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Cromwell Hospital and Imperial was one of the first two consultants in the UK to perform the new steam treatment. He performs the steam procedure routinely at Cromwell Hospital, Imperial Private Healthcare and in Imperial NHS Trust at Charing Cross Hospital. The initial results have been impressive and in most cases aims to replace the traditional operation, called a transurethral resection of the prostrate . Steam for treating enlarged prostates is NICE approved.
Read Also: Ct Scan For Prostate Cancer
Further Considerations And Research
The Rezum system is an exciting and novel minimally invasive therapy for treatingBPH, which thus far has demonstrated strong evidence of clinical effectiveness witha potential wide scope of use with limited drawbacks. However, it is important toconsider limitations in the current literature when assessing this noveltreatment.
Previous trials have been supported or sponsored by NxThera which may represent a potential conflict of interest. So far outcomes up to 3yearshave been recorded, this is as part of a 5-year RCT currently ongoing. Long-termoutcomes are currently awaited so it is difficult to comment on the long-termefficacy of Rezum as a treatment for BPH and whether there will be continued successin relief of LUTS symptoms. A reduction in prostate volume was noted, although nological explanation on lack of substantial reduction in PVR was noted, which needsto be explored in the future studies.
Further evidence in a nontrial setting is needed in order to confirm theeffectiveness of Rezum in real-world applications and also to provide additionalsupport of findings published in a retrospective trial indicating the potential useof Rezum in patients with a large prostate burden and in urinary retention.11
Reasons For The Growth Unclear
As the experts on the Rezum website explain, it is currently not known why the prostate in the majority of men continues to grow beyond middle age. People often complain that they have to go to the toilet more often and then feel that the bladder is not completely empty. The following symptoms can indicate an enlarged prostate at an early stage:
- Frequent toilet visits,
- weak and slow urine stream,
- Feeling of a not completely empty bladder,
- Urine flow stops and starts constantly while urinating,
- Difficulty starting urination,
You May Like: What To Expect With Prostate Surgery
What Happens During The Aquablation Procedure
Aquablation therapy is performed in a hospital. You will be under anesthesia for the entire procedure. The procedure typically takes less than an hour and involves an overnight stay.
There are two key steps to the procedurecreating a surgical map and removing the prostate tissue. For more details on the Aquablation procedure, visit the Aquablation Therapy page.
> > > 1 Bedtime Hack To Pee Like A Bull
An enlarged prostate can also be the cause of other problems. If the enlarged prostate is causing symptoms, the best treatment would be a natural remedy. In the meantime, there are treatments for a wide range of conditions that cause a man to experience pain. A common surgical procedure involves an electric loop, laser, or electro-stimulation. The procedure is a safe and effective option for treating enlarged or symptomatic BPH.
Don’t Miss: What Does An Mri Of The Prostate Show
What To Expect Before Rezum
To help assess whether a patient is a good candidate for Rezum, the doctor will use a flow rate bladder scan to see how well the patient is emptying. The patient may also be asked to keep track of the amounts of fluids that he drinks and voids. After this evaluation, the doctor will perform a prostate ultrasound and take a telescopic look at the prostate.
At the pre-procedure visit, the patient receives detailed instructions on pre- and postoperative care. He will also receive an antibiotic prescription that should be started the night before the procedure, as well as an anti-anxiety prescription. Anti-inflammatories are given the day before and after the procedure. An alpha blocker prescription is usually given to improve the flow of urine after the procedure.
Steam Treatment For Enlarged Prostates
Steam treatment, or Rezum, involves injecting steam into the prostate to destroy enlarged tissue which is causing blockage to urine flow and bothersome symptoms. It is an effective treatment with fewer side-effects.
BOOK ONLINE HERE FOR A CONSULTATIONOr contact us if you wish to speak to us before booking.
Also Check: How Would You Know If You Have Prostate Cancer
Without Surgery: Heal Enlarged Prostate In 10 Minutes
An enlarged prostate causes complaints to many men with increasing age. Pain can occur especially when urinating. Medical professionals in England have developed a new non-invasive treatment that can help patients. The procedure, which is only ten minutes long, is to be used routinely, as several English newspapers report. A jet of steam is directed into the prostate, which kills part of the tissue and causes the prostate to shrink. The new therapy can be carried out on an outpatient basis, an inpatient admission is not necessary.
In England alone, the new steam jet treatment called “Rezum” could represent new hope for over two million people affected. As the English media report, the procedure has already been tested on 150 patients and delivered remarkable results. According to media reports, early approval from the NHS is very likely. The new process is explained in more detail on the rezum.com website.
Steam Therapy To Treat Enlarged Prostate
Topics in this Post
Sterile steam has multiple uses in health care. It can sterilize surgical instruments, clear blocked nasal passages and humidify hospital rooms to limit the spread of pathogens. It also can be used in a minimally invasive therapy to treat an enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as BPH.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a common condition as men age. By age 60, about 30% of men show moderate to severe symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia that require treatment. By age 80, that number grows to 50%.
Also Check: Best Supplements For Prostate Cancer Treatment
Does My Insurance Cover Aquablation Therapy
For patients in the United States, Medicare and several of the major national private insurance companies have issued positive coverage policies for their patients. For all other private insurance companies, coverage can be assessed on an individual basis, and you should speak with your provider directly to determine if Aquablation therapy is available for you.
For more information, visit our Insurance page.
For patients outside of the United States, reimbursement and coverage vary by geography. We recommend patients contact their local physician providers to determine if Aquablation therapy is available.
For more information, visit our Insurance page.
How Can Steam Be Used To Treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
The method for treating an enlarged prostate is minimally invasive. It is performed by going up through the urethra and using an instrument that turns water into steam. The steam delivery lasts only seconds. The procedure is designed to be done in a doctors office. You will not need general anesthesia. You will receive only local anesthesia.
Recommended Reading: How Do I Know I Have Prostate Cancer
Is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia A Risk For Prostate Cancer
There is no evidence that BPH increases the risk of developing prostate cancer. However, the symptoms of BPH and prostate cancer are similar. The American Urological Association and the American Cancer Society recommend annual prostate screenings for men ages 55 to 69. Men at high risk such as African-American men and men with a family history of prostate cancer should begin screening at 40. It is important that doctors and patients discuss the screening process and possible inaccurate results while arriving at a decision to screen for prostate cancer.
Retreatment Rates: Rezm And Urolift Pivotal Studies*
*Because the data from Rezm and the UroLift System studies was not collected in a head-to-head study, direct comparisons between Rezm and the UroLift System cannot be made. Results from different clinical investigations are not directly comparable. Information provided for educational purposes only.
Recommended Reading: Natural Treatments For An Enlarged Prostate
Steam Therapy For Bph
AquaBeam a newer therapy using steam could be used to treat swollen prostates.
The therapy uses a tube to apply steam to the prostate glands. The steam can shrink up the glands by two-thirds. In addition, this approach has fewer side effects and takes less than 15 minutes.
This procedure can allow patients to go home the same day with very little downtime in contrast to the cauterization technique, which requires hospitalization for at least 3 days.
Prof Hashim Ahmed who is behind the ingenious technique said: I wanted to remove some harm we cause with treatment. Its less invasive and has fewer side effects. It could improve thousands of lives. The surgeon, of Londons Imperial College NHS Trust, hopes it will be widely used.
What Are The Side Effects
Once youre home, you may experience mild burning sensation during urination for a couple of weeks. This can be managed with mild pain medication. Patients can resume their normal activities once approved by their doctor.
Visit our Aquablation Therapy page for more information about the procedure, recovery, and side effects.
Also Check: Loma Linda Proton Therapy For Prostate Cancer
Steam Treatment For Big Prostates Approved On Nhs
The NHS can start offering a new steam treatment for benign prostate enlargement, says the regulator, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
The procedure is minimally invasive and can be done under local anaesthetic without an overnight hospital stay.
It involves passing a small probe up the urethra to inject a puff of steam into the troublesome area.
The steam kills off some of the enlarged tissue to ease symptoms.
The dead cells are reabsorbed by the body.
An enlarged prostate is common – affecting one in three men over the age of 50 – and forces the urethra to narrow, causing a variety of problems, including difficulty emptying the bladder.
Drugs or an operation can help but NICE says men should now be offered another treatment option.
The steam treatment, called Rezum, is an alternative to invasive surgery and is said to have fewer side-effects, such as impotence and incontinence.
Patients may have to take antibiotics and have a urinary catheter for some days after the procedure. Some activities, including sexual intercourse, should be avoided for up to one month.
It is the latest of several minimally invasive procedures for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia .
Surgical Options For An Enlarged Prostate
There are many different surgical options available and choosing the one that is right for you can be overwhelming. It is important to research and determine which type of procedure is best for your current condition and lifestyle.
- Uses a camera through the urethra plus ultrasound imaging
- Surgeon creates map of prostate tissue to remove
- Heat-free waterjet removes prostate tissue
Rates of Irreversible Complications
- Low rates of irreversible complications
- 0% rate of erectile dysfunctiona,b
- 1% rate of incontinencea,b
- Nearly all men preserve ejaculatory functiona,b
Confidence in Procedure
- No limit to prostate size
- Robotics minimizes dependence on surgeon skill
Recovery
- Most patients discharged from the hospital the next day
- Most patients go home without a catheter
- Patients may experience mild burning during urination
a. Bhojani, N, et al. Aquablation for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Large Prostates : 1-Year Results. Urology. 2019 Jul 129:1-7.b. Gilling, P, et al. Three-Year Outcomes after Aquablation Therapy Compared to TURP: Results from a Blinded Randomized Trial. Can J Urol. 2020 Feb 27:10072-10079.
Don’t Miss: Prostate Cancer Risk Calculator Mskcc
Is Rezm Therapy Right For You
The best way to find out is by talking with a doctor to determine if Rezm Water Vapor Therapy is a good treatment for you based on your symptoms and treatment goals. Start by taking ourBPH Quiz. Then bring the results with you to your appointment. Need to find a doctor who specializes in Rezm Water Vapor Therapy? Use our Doctor Finder to locate one near you.
Why Should Steam Be The Preferred Treatment
In the Rezm Therapy procedure, steam delivers convective energy. RF energy is applied to water, and the water carries energy until it phase-shifts into steam. When the steam is delivered to the tissue, it condenses back into water delivering the stored energy convectively. This is an efficient and uniform way to transfer therapeutic energy inside the body because the vapor is convectively dispersed through the interstitial space in the prostate tissue, and the energy is delivered in a matter of seconds rather than minutes.2
Steam, which is delivered to the prostate at a temperature of about 103°C, does not penetrate tissue. Instead, steam travels through cell interstices until it meets a boundary, such as a cell membrane . On reaching the cell membrane, steam condenses to water releasing the stored energy, bringing the tissue temperature to 70°C-80°C, which leads to immediate cell death. Due to the convective nature of steam, the transfer of energy is uniform, which enhances the predictability of the procedure.8,9 Upon cell death, the bodys natural processes come into play. Inflammation occurs and the bodys inflammatory system sends out scavengers to the area of edema in the prostate.11 The body resorbs the necrotic tissue over time and the prostate volume is reduced.12 Rezm ablates tissue, like common surgical procedures, leading to a reduction in overall prostate size.
You May Like: Proton Therapy For Prostate Cancer Side Effects
Is It Covered By Insurance
Most insurance companies do not yet cover this treatment. We can give you a quote for the full cost of the procedure.
Reference
McVary KT, Gange SN, Gittelman MC, et al. Minimally invasive prostate convective water vapor energy ablation: a multicentre, randomized, controlled study for treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. J Urol. 2016 195: 1529-1538.
Patient Selection And Procedure Planning
As for all surgical procedures, patient selection is paramount. Not every patientwith BPH are candidates for Rezum therapy . However, in contrast with someother procedures, patients with median lobe obstruction are eligible to receiveRezum therapy. Critical factors that preclude patients from receiving Rezum therapyinclude previous surgical/radiation treatment involving the prostate, a history ofurinary retention and patients with a large prostate burden . Prior tosurgery, in order to determine areas of prostate enlargement, patients undergoflexible cystoscopy. It potentially also provides an opportunity to assess thepatients tolerance to rigid cystoscopy while awake. Obtaining an ultrasound scan toassess prostate volume is also useful.14
Don’t Miss: What Does An Enlarged Prostate Indicate
Low Rates Of Irreversible Complications
Aquablation therapy has a very low rate of irreversible complications 1,2 because of:
View of the Entire Prostate with Ultrasound Imaging
Aquablation therapy is the only procedure that uses a camera in combination with ultrasound imaging to view the prostate. This enables the surgeon to see the entire prostate so he or she can create a surgical map of the areas of the prostate to remove and those to avoid. In every other available surgical procedure, the surgeons view of the prostate is limited to a single camera . This limits the surgeons ability to see the parts of the prostate that control erectile function, ejaculatory function, and incontinence.
Heat-free Waterjet Technology
Aquablation therapy is the only procedure that uses a heat-free waterjet to remove prostate tissue. Most resective procedures utilize heat to remove prostate tissue, and heat may be damaging to the parts of the prostate that control erectile function and ejaculatory function. It should be noted that some surgeons may choose to use a minimal amount of cautery following an Aquablation procedure to control bleeding. In clinical studies, men who had Aquablation therapy had a very low rate of irreversible complicationsincontinence, ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction.1,2
The Science Of Steam: Treating Bph Safely Efficiently And Effectively
Editorial Commentary by Neal D. Shore, MD, FACSMedical Director, Carolina Urologic Research Center
All BPH Articles / Clinical Studies / The Science of Steam: Treating BPH Safely, Efficiently and Effectively
Dr. Neal Shore has conducted more than 250 clinical trials for urologic conditions and treatments. He serves as the National Urology Research Director for 21st Century Urology, is a member of the American Urological Associations Data Committee, the SITC Task Force for Prostate Cancer, the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Think Tank, and sits on the editorial boards of several urology publications. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and is board-certified by the American Board of Urology.
In this article, Dr. Shore shares his knowledge and experience with Rezm Water Vapor Therapy, the science behind steam therapy and how this treatment relieves symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia .
Read Also: Radioligand Therapy For Prostate Cancer
What To Expect With Steam Therapy
Steam therapy is performed under local anesthesia in the clinic. Most patients report mild discomfort during treatment but no pain. No incisions are needed.
During the treatment, a physician inserts a small needle into the urethra and positions it within the prostate gland. In nine seconds, the needle produces a 2-centimeter-wide steam ball that shrinks surrounding prostate tissue. It does not carry heat outside the prostate or affect other surrounding tissues. The number of treatments increases with prostate size but can be completely treated during one visit.
The needle is removed, and a temporary catheter is placed to drain urine from the bladder. This catheter is usually removed after three to five days.
Most patients can return home the same day as steam therapy and resume regular activities within a few days. Initially, benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms may worsen before they improve. This is because the treatment causes some swelling. Some patients start to experience fewer benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms within two weeks, and most see improvements by six weeks.