Prostatic Water Vapour Therapy

ABOUT PROSTATIC WATER VAPOUR THERAPY

What is prostatic water vapour therapy?

Water vapour therapy is a minimally invasive treatment for benign prostate enlargement.

 

Using the Rezūm technology, thermal energy from water vapour is used to ablate prostate tissue, resulting in a reduction in the size of the prostate.

Why is prostatic water vapour therapy required?

Water vapour therapy is used for the treatment of urinary symptoms which are due to enlargement of the prostate. These symptoms may include:

    • Waking through the night to void.
    • Needing to pass urine frequently throughout the day.
    • Having to pass urine urgently.
    • Reduced urine flow.
    • Difficulty starting urination.
    • Stop-start flow.
    • Dribbling after passing urine.
    • A feeling of incomplete bladder emptying.

 

Water vapour therapy is an option for you if:

    • You do not want to take or are unable to take medications for prostate enlargement (such as prazosin, tamsulosin, silodosin, dutasteride or finasteride).
    • You do not want to have a more invasive procedure such as transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or Greenlight laser prostatectomy.
    • Your prostate is between 30 and 80 grams. (A normal sized prostate is less than 25 grams.

Prostate Enlargement

Prostate enlargement, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is a non-cancerous growth of the prostate gland that commonly occurs in men as they age. The prostate surrounds the urethra, so when it enlarges, it can press against the urethra and block urine flow.
PATIENT JOURNEY

What does prostatic water vapour therapy involve?

We perform water vapour therapy in hospital as a day surgery, under general anaesthetic.

 

We pass a telescope through the urethra into the prostate. We use the Rezūm device to pass a needle under vision into the enlarged prostate tissue.

 

Radiofrequency energy is used to heat water to create water vapour. The water vapour is dispersed into the prostate tissue via the needle. We usually repeat this process between two and eight times depending on the size of your prostate.

What does prostatic water vapour therapy involve?

The heat from the water vapour travels through the enlarged prostate tissue causing the cells to die. In the weeks to months following the procedure the body reabsorbs the cells which have died, causing the prostate to shrink. This relieves the bladder obstruction which is causing your urinary symptoms.

 

At the end of the procedure, we place a catheter in the bladder. The catheter is usually removed seven days after the procedure.

What is the recovery after prostatic water vapour therapy?

There will be some swelling of the penis which will go away after a few weeks.

 

It will take at least six weeks for the penis to reach its final appearance.

 

You will need to abstain from sex for four to six weeks after the procedure.

 

You can usually return to driving 24 hours after the procedure.

 

You can usually return to work one to two days after the procedure.

 

What is the recovery after prostatic water vapour therapy?

You will have a catheter after the procedure. The catheter will drain urine into a bag. The bag can be secured to your leg and can be concealed under your trousers. The catheter will be removed in our office seven days after the procedure.

 

After water vapour therapy, the body creates an inflammatory response which will initially make your urinary symptoms worse. For around four weeks after the procedure, it is common to have burning and stinging when passing urine. It is also common to have slow urine flow, urgency and frequency which is worse than it was before the procedure.

What is the recovery after prostatic water vapour therapy?

You may need to take medications to manage your urinary symptoms for around six weeks after the procedure.

 

You should notice your urinary symptoms gradually improving between four and twelve weeks after the procedure.

 

Depending on your job, you may be able to return to work around three days after the procedure, although some men prefer to wait until the catheter has been removed.

 

You will not be able to drive for at least 24 hours after the procedure. Some men prefer not to drive until the catheter has been removed.

OUR TEAM

The following doctors in our practice perform prostatic water vapour therapy:

Dr Tim Smith

Dr Tim Smith

Urologist
Dr Andrew Keller

Dr Andrew Keller

Urologist
Dr Anojan Navaratnam

Dr Anojan Navaratnam

Urologist

Book an appointment

Book an appointment to discuss this procedure with one of our doctors.