Treatment for Enlarged Prostate: Rezūm Therapy in Chattanooga, TN
Dr. Shridharani now offers relief with Rezūm, a unique treatment that uses steam to shrink enlarged prostate glands and improve urine flow.
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What is Rezūm?
Rezūm is a treatment for treating enlarged prostate (BPH). Approved by the FDA in late 2015, Rezūm uses the stored thermal energy in steam to treat the extra prostate tissue that is causing symptoms such as frequency, urgency, irregular flow, weak stream, straining, and getting up at night to urinate.
How does Rezūm work?
Rezūm is an outpatient treatment at Dr. Shridharani’s practice. Dr. Shridharani uses a hand-held device that passes through the urethra to reach the prostate. Once there, radiofrequency generated thermal energy is applied to water, creating steam. The steam is injected into the prostate tissue that is blocking the flow of urine from the bladder. Once injected, the water vapor immediately turns back to water, releasing the energy stored in the vapor into the cell membranes. The causes damage and eventual cell death in the enlarged tissues. This heating and injection is repeated across the areas of enlarged growth. As these cells die, the body simply absorbs and disposes of the dead cells and the prostate shrinks down, lessening pressure on the urethra. This enables improved urine flow.
What are the benefits of Rezūm?
Rezūm is a simple procedure that shows impressive results. It gives our patients these benefits:
- Potential alternative to BPH medications
- Relieves symptoms safely and effectively
- Provides noticeable symptom improvement within two weeks
- Simple in-office procedure
- Does not require general anesthesia
- Preserves sexual and urinary function
- Allows patients to return to regular activities in just a few days
In addition, one of the main reasons why people undergo this procedure is because it essentially has no sexual side effects. Medical therapy and other surgical therapies can lead to ejaculation issues, and other surgical therapies (like TURP) can lead to ED.
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Who is a good candidate for Rezūm treatment for BPH?
Dr. Shridharani will help determine if Rezūm would be effective for you. It is indicated for men 50 and older with a prostate volume of between 30cm3 and 80 cm3. Rezūm is for men who have elected to discontinue or not take BPH medication. It is also an option for men who are not bothered enough by their prostate symptoms to opt for invasive surgery to reduce the prostate.
What are the side effects with Rezūm?
Rezūm has been shown to have fewer side effects compared to those typically seen with surgical therapies. These are side effects with these treatments:
- Painful urination
- Blood in the urine
- Blood in the semen
- Frequent urination
- Inability to urinate or completely empty the bladder
- Need for short-term catheterization
Most of the side effects resolve within three weeks of the procedure. To relieve the discomfort during the short-term healing process it helps to take mild over-the-counter pain relievers, take a warm bath or sit on a hot water bottle, and to eliminate caffeine, alcohol, and chocolate from your diet during recovery.
Rezūm has not been shown to cause erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction, or urinary incontinence.
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How does the Rezūm treatment session go?
Dr. Shridharani performs the simple Rezūm treatment right in our Chattanooga offices. You should allow two hours from the time your arrive at our offices to the time you leave. The procedure doesn’t take that long, but time is necessary for the sedation to take effect. You’ll either be given oral sedation or local anesthesia in the form of a prostate block. The Rezūm probe is inserted into the urethra all the way up to the location of the prostate, which surrounds the urethra. The series of nine-second injections of the steam will be delivered into the prostate. After each injection the probe will be moved to another location for the next. There is a mild sting or warming sensation when the injections are made. The entire actual Rezūm procedure only takes from 10-15 minutes.
How soon can I return to regular activities?
Most patients can return to their normal activities with a few days.
How long will my results last?
Because Rezūm has only been performed since early 2016, there aren’t many long-term studies at this point. That being said, a study in December 2016 found that men who had Rezūm therapy showed a sustained 51 percent reduction in symptom severity at 24 months (these patients had been part of the FDA approval process).
Another study has shown that surgical retreatment rate is low after three years, 4.4%. This means that the results are sustained through three years, without sexual side effects.
Click Here to View the Study
If you are in Chattanooga or Knoxville TN, Northern Georgia, Huntsville AL or the surrounding areas and have questions about Rezūm, call (423) 778-4MEN (4636) or visit our contact us page to schedule an appointment with Dr. Shridharani today!
