Rezum – the latest in BPH treatment

When you talk about prostate problems, your mind usually jumps straight to cancer. However, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common prostate condition and, as its name suggests, it is a benign (non-cancerous) enlargement of the gland. However, that is not to say that it doesn’t cause problems, as it can affect urination and leads to urinary tract infections (UTIs). Luckily, there are several treatment options, including the revolutionary Rezum treatment. We turned to expert urologist Professor Richard Graham Hindley to answer our questions:

What is the best treatment for an enlarged prostate?

The best treatment for BPH is a personalised approach which involves a discussion of the appropriate treatment options for each individual.

A good treatment is one that improves symptoms for a long period of time, whilst keeping to a minimum the likelihood of side-effects.

What is Rezum for BPH?

Rezum is a new treatment which heats and destroys the prostate using convective heat delivery. A water droplet is heated up and steam is then injected through the water pipe into the prostate. This water vapour destroys the enlarged tissue. The number of injections of steam depends on the size of the prostate. A larger gland will require more treatments with the steam – each injection of steam takes 9 seconds and so it is a quick procedure.

It can be performed under local anaesthetic with sedation.

Will Rezum prevent BPH from recurring?

Rezum will not prevent further prostate growth - the gland does continue to grow and a proportion of men will require a further procedure at a later time.

What are the benefits of Rezum vs surgery?

The benefits of this intervention rather than the other ‘bigger’ operations such as TURP, is that it is quick to perform and it doesn’t upset sexual function, and it can be safely performed under local anaesthetic.

Because of the absence of serious long term side-effects, many men are opting to have Rezum rather than taking medication, an option that is often usually given a try before surgery. Many men are unable to tolerate the side-effects of drugs.

If you have BPH, it is important to discuss management options with your doctor or a specialist.