Modified Water Vapor Therapy Shows Promise for Large-Volume Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treatment
核心洞察
A prospective study of 196 patients with large-volume benign prostatic hyperplasia (搜索) (prostate (搜索) volumes ≥80 mL) demonstrated significant improvements in symptom scores and urinary flow rates following modified water vapor thermal therapy (搜索) using the Rezūm (搜索) system.
International Prostate (搜索) Symptom Score decreased from 21.2 at baseline to 10.8 at one year, while peak urinary flow rate improved from 8.3 mL/s to 15.7 mL/s at three months, with only 0.5% of patients requiring surgical retreatment.
The treatment showed favorable safety outcomes with low sexual side effects, including retrograde ejaculation in only 3.1% of patients and modest improvements in erectile function scores.
A modified form of water vapor thermal therapy (搜索) has demonstrated significant clinical benefits for men with large-volume benign prostatic hyperplasia (搜索) (BPH (搜索)), according to new prospective research that challenges traditional treatment limitations for patients with enlarged prostates.
The study evaluated outcomes in 196 consecutive patients with prostate (搜索) volumes of at least 80 mL who underwent treatment using the Rezūm (搜索) system between October 2023 and September 2024. Large prostate size has traditionally limited the use of minimally invasive therapies, making the investigation of adapted techniques clinically relevant.
Significant Clinical Improvements Across Key Metrics
All procedures were completed successfully, with a median baseline prostate (搜索) volume of 96 mL. Symptom severity, measured using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), showed marked improvement, decreasing from a mean of 21.2 at baseline to 11.7 at 3 months and 10.8 at 1 year. Quality of life scores improved substantially, falling from 4.3 to 1.7 during follow-up.
Objective functional measures also demonstrated significant gains. Peak urinary flow rate (Qmax) increased from 8.3 mL/s pre-procedure to 15.7 mL/s at 3 months, while prostate (搜索) volume declined to a median of 60 mL. All key clinical endpoints demonstrated statistically significant gains compared with baseline.
Favorable Sexual Health and Safety Profile
Investigators observed potential benefits for sexual health, with the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) score rising from 11.0 before treatment to 14.1 at 1 year, suggesting a modest improvement in erectile function. Rates of sexual side effects appeared low, with retrograde ejaculation occurring in 3.1% of patients.
Safety outcomes were favorable overall. Only one participant (0.5%) required surgical retreatment during the follow-up period, indicating durable early results in a population typically considered challenging to manage with minimally invasive approaches.
Enhanced Technology Platform Launches in UK
The UK has seen the first case of BPH (搜索) treatment with Rezūm (搜索) Water Vapor Therapy using the newly launched Rezūm EVO Console at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital (搜索). The next-generation device is designed for improved mobility and greater ease of use, making it practical for various medical settings.
Compared to the previous generation, the newly-launched Rezūm (搜索) EVO Console has been designed to take up less space with improved mobility, making it more practical for use in different clinical environments. The console features a shorter learning curve with a guided interface and 3D animations, allowing staff at various experience levels to set it up quickly and easily.
Clinical and Economic Advantages
BPH (搜索) affects from 50% up to 75% of men aged 50 years and over, with around 1.4 million men affected in the UK. The burden of BPH is increasing and putting pressure on health systems to manage by scaling capacity.
Rezūm (搜索) is a minimally invasive option usually performed as a day-case procedure lasting on average less than 10 minutes, with most patients being discharged the same day. This means procedures can be performed in an ambulatory or outpatient setting with shorter inpatient stays, quicker recovery time and potential cost savings.
NICE estimates that Rezūm (搜索) is cost saving compared with standard treatments such as transurethral resection of the prostate (搜索) (TURP) by more than £550 per person over four years. The cost of managing related conditions such as urinary tract infections (搜索), which are a significant complication for BPH (搜索) patients, was estimated at £604 million for 2023-2024 in NHS hospitals alone.
Expert Perspective on Treatment Potential
Leading consultant urologist Prof. Richard Hindley, clinical lead in Urology at the North Hampshire Hospital with nearly two decades' expertise in prostate (搜索) cancer diagnostics and BPH (搜索), commented: "Today many BPH patients are delayed from specialist consultations due to current medications prescribing practices. I do see potential to reduce waiting lists by offering quicker, minimally invasive options. Moreover, Rezūm (搜索) EVO portable design could make delivery of care more flexible across hospital and outpatient settings, from the theatre area to the day unit or in outpatient setting or at urology treatment centre, increasing versatility of secondary care."
The authors of the large-volume BPH (搜索) study conclude that modified water vapor thermal therapy (搜索) could represent a promising alternative to more invasive surgical procedures for patients with large-volume BPH, offering meaningful symptom relief with a low complication profile. However, they emphasize that longer-term data, alongside comparative studies, will be important to confirm durability and establish the therapy's place in treatment pathways.