Rezūm Water Vapor Therapy: What to Expect

Rezūm treats an enlarged prostate with small amounts of steam (water vapor) that shrink the extra tissue over time. It is usually done in the office. A catheter is often used for several days while swelling settles.

Warning signs

Before your procedure

Take only the medicines your care team approved. If you take a blood thinner, aspirin, or a supplement and were not told what to do, call the office — do not stop anything on your own.
Take any medicine your care team told you to take, such as an alpha-blocker.
Arrange a ride if you were told you will receive sedation.

The day of

Your care team places numbing medicine, then delivers brief bursts of steam into the prostate through a scope. The visit is short. A catheter is often placed for a few days to about a week because the prostate swells before it shrinks.

The first few days

While you heal, expect:

A catheter for several days (see the Catheter Care Guide)
Burning, urgency, and frequent urination
Some blood in the urine
Symptoms that may feel worse before they get better

Drink plenty of water. Use your comfort medicine as directed. See the Catheter Care Guide while the catheter is in.

The first few weeks

After the catheter is removed, urinary symptoms slowly improve. The prostate keeps shrinking over several weeks to a few months, so flow improves gradually. Rezūm usually preserves sexual function.

When to call your care team

Call the office number on your discharge paperwork right away, or seek emergency care, if you have any of these:

You cannot urinate at all after the catheter is removed
Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or shaking chills
Heavy bleeding or clots that block urination
Severe pain not helped by your medicine

If you have chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, or another life-threatening emergency, call 911.

Warning signs