Rezūm: A Patient-Friendly Treatment for BPH

BPH is the simple way of stating benign prostatic hyperplasia, or enlargement of the prostate gland. Many men have heard of BPH from their doctor and know that they should be screened for this common condition at some point. Beyond screening, it is advantageous to know how BPH could be treated if a diagnosis were to be made, and it’s not a stretch to predict that this might happen.

According to research, approximately 50 percent of men aged 75 and older are awakened by nocturia several times a night. The need to urinate frequently often relates to the size of the prostate gland. Prostatic enlargement doesn’t always mean prostate cancer. However, it could mean that there is a need to obtain treatment for disruptive symptoms.

It’s in the Anatomy

Urine released from the bladder travels through the urethra. The urethra is a tube that passes through the prostate. When the prostate grows beyond its normal walnut size, it squeezes the urethra, somewhat like a belt would squeeze the midsection of the body. The pressure on the urethra makes it difficult to empty the bladder efficiently, thereby leading to increased frequency but minimal output.

The objective in treating the enlarged prostate is to improve urine flow. Historically, this has involved removing the prostate altogether. As medical advances have occurred, urologists have gained new techniques for achieving optimal outcomes without the risk of surgery. One of the most recent advances has been the development of Rezūm®, an innovative approach that involves neither surgery nor medication.

The Rezūm System for BPH

Rezūm is a minimally-invasive treatment that has already helped thousands of men feel more comfortable and confident in the face of BPH. The treatment process is streamlined for both comfort and efficacy:

• First, a local anesthetic is injected to numb the nerves around the prostate
• The urethra is also numbed with the local anesthetic.
• No other anesthesia is necessary and patients feel no pain.
• A small instrument called a cystoscope is passed through the urethra to the prostate.
• In the prostate, several zones are selected and injected with a small amount of steam. The urologist may select up to 10 zones. Each injection takes only a few seconds. The entire procedure takes less than 10 minutes.

We are proud to be at the forefront of our field and capable of providing the latest treatments to the men of Chattanooga. For more information on Rezūm for BPH, call  (423) 778-4MEN (4636).