Benign prostatic hyperplasia is defined as an enlargement of the prostate gland and affects about 50% of the male population between 51 and 60 years of age, and 90% of men over 80 years of age. The consequences of this enlargement can lead to compression of the urethra, which reduces or blocks the flow of urine from the bladder.
How is steam applied in this pathology?
Dr. Emilio López Alcina, Head of the Prostate Pathology Unit at UROMED, has introduced the steam technique to reduce the size of the prostate on an outpatient basis and several patients have already undergone successful surgery.
The procedure consists of injecting steam through the urethra into the prostate gland. When the water vapor comes into contact with the tissue, it destroys it, solving the problems caused by prostate growth.
“This new technique allows us to apply it to a very wide range, up to 80 cubic centimeters of prostate volume, which means we can cover up to 80% of men suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia,” assures Dr. Emilio López Alcina.
What are the advantages of this technique?
“In addition to avoiding the patient’s admission to hospital, another of the main advantages is to avoid the drugs required by these patients for long periods of time, which also cause side effects, especially in the sexual area, with the consequent pharmaceutical savings and savings for the system,” explains Dr. Emilio López Alcina.
Other advantages are that the procedure takes only a few minutes and, as the doctor mentions, there is no need for general anesthesia or hospitalization. Furthermore, it does not cause bleeding and does not affect the patient’s sex life. It is planned that the specialists of the Urology Unit of the University Hospital of Valencia will develop a training program on this technique for Urology specialists in the rest of Spain.