Modified water vapor thermal therapy for large-volume benign prostatic hyperplasia

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) affects a significant portion of the aging male population.
• Large-volume BPH presents unique treatment challenges.
• Current treatment options may have limitations in efficacy or side effect profiles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of modified water vapor thermal therapy for men with large-volume BPH.
• To assess symptom improvement, functional outcomes, and complication rates.
• To determine the long-term effectiveness of this minimally invasive approach.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 196 consecutive patients with prostate volume ≥ 80 mL.
• Procedures performed using the Rezum system for modified water vapor thermal therapy.
• Data collected on International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Quality of Life (QoL), maximum flow rate (Qmax), and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5).

Main Results:

• Successful treatment in all 196 patients with a median prostate volume of 96 mL.
• Significant reduction in IPSS and prostate volume, with sustained improvement at 1 year.
• Marked improvement in QoL scores and Qmax, alongside a statistically significant increase in IIEF-5 scores.
• Low incidence of retrograde ejaculation (3.1%) and minimal need for retreatment (0.5%).

Conclusions:

• Modified water vapor thermal therapy is a safe and effective treatment for large-volume BPH.
• The procedure leads to significant symptom relief and functional improvement.
• This therapy offers a favorable safety profile with minimal complications for BPH management.