This hospital treats prostate tumors using steam

Since the beginning of the year, urologists at Alençon Hospital in Orne have been offering a water vapor injection called Rezum to treat prostate enlargement. A rare and innovative technology that comes from the United States.

In the operating room, there is no surgeon’s knife or scalpel. Using a surgical instrument that looks like a gun, Dr. Gabriel Stoica, a urologist at Alençon Hospital, carries out a short procedure lasting just ten minutes.

He injects water vapor to treat his patient’s enlarged prostate: “They had a treatment that was no longer satisfactory, now this needle will deliver water vapor.”

Prostate tumors are most common in men over the age of 50. The prostate becomes enlarged and can cause various symptoms such as urine streams, urine leaks and infections or, the most well-known symptom, repeated nocturnal urination.

This rare and innovative technique makes it possible to treat this benign tumor by:“A small needle is inserted into the prostate adenoma and this technique makes it possible to shrink the adenoma in question and subsequently improve urinary symptoms”The surgeon explains.

In fact, theSteam at 103 degrees is injected in a nine-second sequence that will distort the cell membrane of this benign tumor and eventually free the urethral canal: “The goal of this technology is to really reduce postoperative risks. The patient can walk two or three days after the operation. There is no risk of injury or bleeding. It recovers sex life faster than classic surgery”, The latter adds. The patient is operated on the same day as outpatient surgery.

Not all patients are eligible

This technique is called “Resume”. It was developed in the United States by the American company Boston Scientific.

But not all patients qualify. Indeed, Dr. Stoica clarifies that: “Water vapor cannot be used when the prostate weighs more than 80 grams. It should be under.”

Alençon Hospital spent €80,000 to equip itself with this innovative equipment. To date, it is the only public institution in Normandy to use this technology.