New Water Vapor Therapy for Enlarged Prostate Gathers Steam in the UAE

The express three-minute treatment offered at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is beneficial for older and high-risk patients

A new therapy that uses steam energy to remove the enlarged part of the prostate in just a few minutes is the newest innovative therapy to be offered to patients suffering from symptoms of urinary retention and obstruction at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, an integral part of Mubadala Health. 

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has seen a growing interest among patients in the region for the minimally-invasive Rezūm™ therapy to treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), a common condition caused by ageing. The actual cause of this condition is unknown, but half of all men will have an enlarged prostrate by age 60. That proportion reaches 90 percent by age 85. 

The use of steam to treat BPH symptoms is particularly beneficial for older and high-risk patients who may have adverse effects from invasive surgery. The therapy is also chosen by patients who elect to discontinue BPH medications. The urology team at the hospital’s Surgical Subspecialties Institute has successfully treated more than 12 patients with this new procedure, with more planned in the coming months. 

“This is an express, efficient treatment that uses the power of water to treat a very common issue that ageing men face around the world. It is a simple procedure where we use a radiofrequency generator to heat up a controlled amount of water outside of the body, converting it into vapor. This thermal energy is then passed through a needle into the prostate to target the obstructive tissue. Depending on the size of the enlarged area, it can take between nine seconds to three minutes to complete the therapy,” says Dr. Ayman S. Moussa, an Associate Staff Physician in the Surgical Subspecialties Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. 

The outpatient procedure is carried out with pre-procedure intravenous antibiotics and under sedation at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. The needle is guided through a scope and the water vapor thermal energy is injected in controlled nine-seconds doses.

Dr. Moussa says that because the treatment only uses water, it is a much safer alternative for most patients with BPH. “All the cells in our body have water, so we are not harming the cells in any way by injecting water into them or affecting the rest of the organs in the process. Other minimally invasive treatments use high energy currents and laser technology to treat the enlarged prostate. While effective, they are not always ideal for older patients,” he says. 

Dr. Moussa explains that patients almost always see benefits in the first week of the therapy. 

“For small prostate growth, we see symptoms get better within three or four days and all our patients have seen positive results within a month of this therapy. Some discomfort after surgery is normal but most patients can return to their daily tasks and work the very next day.”

As part of the US-based Cleveland Clinic’s model of care, the Urology Program at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi serves as a regional and an international referral center for complex urological problems. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi was the first hospital in the country to introduce robotic and minimally invasive surgery to treat men with prostate cancer and numerous other urologic conditions.

For more information or to book an appointment at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, call 800 222 33, visit www.clevelandclinicabudhabi.ae or download the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi app.