A University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center urologist is the first in North Texas to be certified for a new in-office method to shrink the prostate in men suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The Rezūm System­, recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is one of several BPH procedures that reduce the need for hospitalization in select patients.

Developed by NxThera, a Minnesota-based company focusing on urologic conditions, the Rezūm System procedure uses water steam to shrink the prostate in a series of nine-second treatments. Usually two to seven of these treatments, depending on the size of the prostate, are needed — each session taking one to two hours.

“Candidates are men who aren’t satisfied with their symptom management, men whose symptoms are progressing, and men who don’t want to take medication,” Dr. Kenneth Goldberg, Faculty Associate in Urology, and the only urologist in North Texas certified to perform the Rezūm System procedure, said in a press release.

“A normal prostate is 30 grams and may enlarge as a man ages. This procedure is FDA approved up to 80 grams. Once a patient’s prostate reaches a size of 100 grams, surgery is the most appropriate option,” said Dr. Goldberg, who has now performed the procedure more than 60 times.

The minimally invasive method is not associated with any known side effects. The steam is targeting a defined area, and water cannot pass connective tissue collagen barriers or the prostate capsule, making the technique safe. Directly after the procedure, many patients experience worsened urinary tract symptoms, since the prostate initially swells from the treatment. These symptoms are, however, transient, and disappear as the prostate shrinks.

“It is an office-based procedure that allows men to return to normal activity within a few days, without causing incontinence or sexual problems,” Dr. Goldberg said.

One of Dr. Goldberg’s patients, Jerry Sample of Lewisville, said he was very satisfied with the outcomes. “This treatment has dramatically improved my quality of life,” he said.