Until just over five years ago, an enlarged prostate was treated with expensive and quite invasive surgical procedures involving several days of hospitalization, general anesthesia and possible risks such as erectile dysfunction.
However, in the United States, a minimally invasive technique based on the injection of steam into the prostate gland, which causes the death of redundant tissue, began to be used with few side effects and a good success rate.
This technique, known as the Rezum system, has revolutionized the field of urology and the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. This system has many advantages, among which we can highlight its simplicity, its low cost and the fact that the patient can return home once the treatment has been performed.
What are the benefits of the Rezum method?
- It is minimally invasive.
- It is an outpatient procedure.
- It preserves sexual function.
- It is less radical.
- It is almost definitive.
- It is an effective and safe procedure.
- It is totally painless.
- Its recovery is simple and fast.
- It improves urinary function.
- It preserves erectile function and ejaculation.
What is the Rezum System device like?
The Rezum System is a device similar to a cystoscope. It is connected to a central steam generator, which heats pure water to over 103ºC, thus expanding it almost 1700 times.
The steam is emitted in a concentrated form through a cannula that has a needle with many holes at its end, which causes the steam to disperse evenly in the prostate tissues.
Convection thermal energy is applied quickly and has the ability to be self-limiting, so it stops on its own in a specific area. The fact that the Rezum system is self-limiting reassures both the urologist and the patient that the reduction in prostate volume will be the desired amount and location, so there is no risk of affecting surrounding healthy tissues.
What does the Rezum System procedure consist of?
Conscious sedation is used to apply the Rezum, so the patient remains awake without noticing anything at all.
Once the sedation has been performed, the physician will disinfect the area, i.e. the glans penis.
Subsequently, the tip of the Rezum is introduced through the urethra, and thanks to a high resolution video camera, the exact position to be treated can be accessed, just before entering the bladder.
When this point is reached, right in the prostatic section of the urethra, water vapor is activated in the area of hyperplasia. This steam emission is maintained for a few seconds and is then removed from the urethra, which concludes the procedure.
For more information, please consult an expert in Urology.