Santa Cruz de Tenerife, October 14, 2021- Hospiten Lanzarote, as part of its ongoing work to improve services offered to patients, has incorporated water vapor therapy to treat benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).
Dr. Ricardo Bernardez, urologist at Hospiten Lanzarote, points out that it is a new technique with great advantages for the patient, which, by means of the Rezum system, allows interventions to be carried out on an outpatient basis and, furthermore, maintains the patient's sexual function.
BPH affects half of the male population from the age of 50 on, increasing to almost 100% from the age of 80 on. Dr. Bernardez emphasizes that this is not a prostate cancer, but it significantly affects the quality of life of the patient because it means there is a substantial increase in the frequency and urgency of the need to urinate. So, if left untreated, benign prostate hyperplasia may lead to urinary tract infections, bladder or kidney damage or incontinence.
The new technique, offered by Hospiten Lanzarote, is minimally invasive and can be performed in a single appointment while the patient is sedated, without the need for general anesthesia or hospital admission. The therapy consists of administering small amounts of water vapor to the enlarged prostate. The steam destroys the cells causing the blockage, reducing the overall size of the prostate, relieving the symptoms, thus eliminating with the problem.
The result is that the patient can go home the same day, with a catheter he will have to keep in place for a week and which will be removed at the hospital.
The treatment is indicated for patients who do not want an invasive treatment or for whom the prescribed medical treatment is not working, and who may be candidates for this therapy depending on the size of the prostate. It is also very suited to elderly, complex, high-risk patients, given its minimally invasive nature.
Dr. Bernardez reminds the public of the importance of check-ups from the age of 40 on, for an early diagnosis, as well as maintaining healthy lifestyle habits like regular exercise, watching our waistline, eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, and keeping an eye on the fats in our diet. All these things, the doctor stresses, can help with benign prostatic hyperplasia and reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction, diabetes and heart disease.