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The First Rezum Treatment in Melbourne

Associate Professor Appu now has the largest series of Rezum treatment for Melbourne and will be happy to discuss your suitability for this treatment. He is a leader in the field of prostate cancer and BPH treatment.

He is trained in laser prostate surgery, urolift and is now able to offer this unique treatment for the first time to Melbourne patients.

The Rezūm System

Rezūm is a treatment for BPH that can be performed as a day case in hospital. Rezūm uses the stored thermal energy in water vapor (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.

Rezūm provides the following benefits:

See more at www.rezum.com.

Candidates for Rezum BPH Treatment

Men over the age of 50 years with a prostate between the size of ≥ 30cm3 and ≤80cm3 are good candidates for the Rezum treatment. Those with urinary retention, kidney function problems, urinary sphincter implant, or a penile prosthesis are not candidates for Rezum.

Men who can benefit from Rezum therapy are those who’ve chosen to discontinue or avoid BPH medication, are not interested in other minimally invasive or surgical BPH procedures, and who don’t have severe enough symptoms to request surgery.

BPH Diagnosis Before Rezum Treatments

If you’re interested in the Rezum treatment, Professor Appu will help you determine if it’s a good option for you by reviewing your symptoms, health history, and treatment goals.

Your doctor may start with a questionnaire to understand your likelihood of having BPH. Next, they will administer one or more of the following tests to diagnose BPH.

• Digital Rectal Examination (DRE): The DRE is a standard test used to diagnose prostate disorders. If your doctor detects any abnormalities of the prostate, they will likely order other tests.
• Urinalysis: A urinalysis is a regular part of a physical exam for men. It can tell a doctor if the urine contains red blood cells, white blood cells, protein, bacteria, and other warning signs.
• The Long and Strong Test: This test measures how long and strong your urinary flow is. Patients typically urinate into a funnel that is attached to a device that measures the flow rate and flow time, and the amount of urine excreted from the bladder.
• Cystoscopy: This test involves a long thin tube being inserted into the penis and pushed through the urethra until it enters the bladder. The doctor will be able to inspect the urethra and bladder to determine how much the prostate is squeezing the urethra and if any urine remains in the bladder.
• Post-Void Residual Test: With this test, doctors can measure the amount of urine left in the bladder after urination. The amount of leftover urine is measured by draining the bladder with a thin tube or by using ultrasound.

Diagnosing and testing for BPH may also include:

• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test to screen for prostate cancer
• Urinary blood test to screen for bladder cancer
• Uroflowmetry to measure how quickly urine flows
• Urodynamic pressure to evaluate the amount of pressure on the bladder during urination
• Prostate ultrasound

What to Expect After the Rezum Treatment Procedure

After the Rezum treatment, patients can return to normal activities within a few days. Patients can experience a significant improvement in their symptoms in as little as two weeks, and current clinical studies show that results can last for two years or longer.

Side Effects of Rezum Therapy

Rezum has proven to cause far fewer side effects than other BPH therapies, but some of the potential side effects include:

• Painful urination
• Blood in urine and semen
• Frequent urination
• Inability to urinate or completely empty the bladder
• Need for short-term catheter use

Most of these side effects should disappear within a few weeks, but if they do not, patients can find relief by taking a pain medication like Tylenol, relaxing in a warm bath, and avoiding caffeine, chocolate, and alcohol.

Rezum provides a long-term treatment option for many BPH patients. Recent data suggests patients sustain BPH symptom improvement at least three years after treatment, and studies are ongoing to determine the long-term benefits of Rezum treatments as well.

Video of Treatment

Article

5 points on Rezūm: the new steam based therapy for BPH

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