[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/06\/water-vapor-benign-prostatic-hyperplasia\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/06\/water-vapor-benign-prostatic-hyperplasia\/","headline":"Water Vapor Therapy for Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia","name":"Water Vapor Therapy for Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia","description":"Many men experience benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) as they get older. BPH is a non-cancerous growth of the prostate gland. Even though BPH doesn’t lead to\u00a0cancer, it can cause uncomfortable urinary symptoms for older men. In the past, doctors have treated BPH with medications and surgery. But now there’s another option: Rez\u016bm\u2122 water vapor therapy […]","datePublished":"2020-06-23","dateModified":"2023-12-05","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/","name":"UPMC","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/iStock-1173335611-scaled.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/iStock-1173335611-scaled.jpg","height":1366,"width":2048},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/06\/water-vapor-benign-prostatic-hyperplasia\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Living and Wellness","Men's Health","Urology"],"wordCount":1078,"articleBody":"Many men experience benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) as they get older. BPH is a non-cancerous growth of the prostate gland. Even though BPH doesn’t lead to\u00a0cancer, it can cause uncomfortable urinary symptoms for older men.In the past, doctors have treated BPH with medications and surgery. But now there’s another option: Rez\u016bm\u2122 water vapor therapy for BPH. Rez\u016bm\u2122 is a less-invasive procedure that can help shrink the prostate and ease BPH symptoms.\u201cHaving BPH symptoms doesn’t have to be a part of aging,” says\u00a0Sergio Giancola, MD, a fellowship-trained urologist at UPMC Hamot and UPMC Northwest. \u201cIf you’re starting to notice problems with urination, you should see a\u00a0urologist. There are good, non-invasive treatments for BPH.”Dr. Giancola was one of the first doctors in the region trained to use water vapor therapy. \u201cUnlike many medications, Rez\u016bm\u2122 gets to the root of the problem instead of just masking the symptoms,” he says. “The steam actually shrinks the prostate.”What Is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?BPH happens when the prostate gland grows too big. The prostate gland is usually about the size of a walnut. It surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body.When the prostate gets too big, it can press on the urethra and cause problems with urine flow.BPH is common as men age. According to the American Urological Association, about half of all men between 51 and 60 have BPH. That number jumps to 80% after age 80.Doctors don’t know precisely what causes BPH. Hormonal changes due to age might be a factor.Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia SymptomsBPH symptoms range from mild to severe. In the worst cases, you might not be able to pass urine at all. Being unable to pass urine is a medical emergency, and you should get to the ER immediately.More typical symptoms include:A weak urine stream.An urgent need to pass urine.Feeling that you didn’t empty all the urine in your bladder.Straining to pass urine.The need to pass urine frequently, every hour or two.The need to stop and start several times when passing urine.Waking up more than two times a night to pass urine.Treating Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia With Water VaporTraditional\u00a0BPH treatments\u00a0include medicines and various types of surgery. Rez\u016bm\u2122 water vapor therapy is a less-invasive procedure that injects steam into the prostate.\u201cThere are no incisions or surgery per se,” says Dr. Giancola. \u201cThe injection causes cell death where there is enlargement of the prostate. In other words, it shrinks the prostate.”UPMC has offered water vapor therapy since 2017. \u201cIt’s a fairly standard treatment now,” says Dr. Giancola. “Your primary care doctor can refer you to a urologist who does the procedure.”Is Rez\u016bm\u2122 Suitable for Everyone with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?Only your doctor can tell you if Rez\u016bm\u2122 is right for you. If your prostate is too big, other treatments may be more effective. Younger men or those with early symptoms of BPH are good candidates for Rez\u016bm\u2122.Benefits of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Water Vapor TherapyRez\u016bm\u2122 has several benefits over traditional BPH treatments.It doesn’t affect sexual function.Instead of treating symptoms, it gets to the root of the problem \u2014 an enlarged prostate.It’s a quick outpatient procedure. You’ll go home the same day.It’s less invasive \u2014 no incisions or surgery involved.You can get back to your regular activities quickly. Many men go back to work the next day.Risks of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Water Vapor TherapyThe risks of water vapor therapy for BPH are like any other medical procedure.They include:Bleeding. \u201cEven though it’s minimally invasive, there’s always a risk of bleeding from the procedure,” says Dr. Giancola. \u201cYou should expect some blood in your urine for a short time afterwards.”Continuing problems with urination. For those with larger prostates, Rez\u016bm\u2122 may not be enough. You may need another procedure to decrease the size of the prostate.Infection. There’s a slight risk of getting a urinary tract infection (UTI) after Rez\u016bm\u2122.How Do You Prepare for BPH Water Vapor Therapy?Your doctor will ask you to get routine bloodwork and possibly an\u00a0EKG\u00a0before the procedure. That’s to make sure you’re healthy enough for Rez\u016bm\u2122 treatment.You shouldn’t eat or drink anything the morning of your procedure. If you take\u00a0blood thinners, your doctor may ask you to stop taking them.You should plan to have someone drive you home, as you’ll receive sedation during the procedure.What Happens During the Water Vapor Therapy Procedure?Doctors perform Rez\u016bm\u2122 in the office or an outpatient surgery facility.You will get anesthesia to put you in partial sedation, or \u201ctwilight sleep.” A nurse will insert a\u00a0catheter\u00a0through the urethra to drain urine.Depending on the size and shape of your prostate, doctors will give you anywhere from two to 15 steam injections. The entire procedure will take up to 30 minutes.Once you come out of the sedation, your doctor will release you to go home. Someone will need to drive you.What Is the Recovery from Water Vapor Therapy?You can go home on the same day as your procedure. You will go home with a catheter to drain urine. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or pain medicine to take while you heal.You will need to use the catheter for three or four days. It drains urine into an attached bag. You empty the urine from the bag directly into the toilet.\u201cThe catheter is very discreet,” says Dr. Giancola. \u201cYour clothes cover it, and no one will know you have it.”After a few days, you’ll go back to the doctor’s office for a checkup. A nurse will remove the catheter. You’ll go back for another checkup four to six weeks after the procedure.One note of caution, says Dr. Giancola \u2014 water vapor therapy isn’t an instant fix.\u201cIt takes time to shrink down the tissue. For the first month, your symptoms may get worse instead of better. But after six weeks or so you should see improvement.”The prostate continues to grow throughout a man’s lifetime. You may need to have the Rez\u016bm\u2122 procedure repeated in four or five years.Editor's Note: This article was originally published on June 23, 2020, and was last reviewed on December 5, 2023."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2020","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"06","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/\/06\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Water Vapor Therapy for Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/06\/water-vapor-benign-prostatic-hyperplasia\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]