REZUM--HAVE YOU HAD THIS DONE???????

Hi Scott;  Its really funny you should ask that question.  I had a "PAE" performed by Dr. Sandeep Bagla at Inova Hospital in Alexandria, Virginia 2 years ago.  He has since moved on to a clinic somewhere in the area.  I can only "Speak for Myself" but it was a "TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY, TIME, AND A POT FULL OF PAIN".  I remember getting back to the room as its done on an outpatient basis and having to go to the bathroom "literally" every 10 minutes and peeing a river of blood with a ton of pain.  If the procedure had worked it would have been just fine but it didn't.   Its like alot of things in life it worked for a couple of months and then it was back to the "same O, same O".  But like I say you might find other guys that had success with it as they say everybody's different.  I paid it out of my pocket at the time and it cost me $5,000.  Would I recommend it????   NO.

I have had one, as have many others on this site. The procedure is a piece of cake. Four small holes the size of an IV in one arm, and an IV in the other for anesthesia. No catheter, at least at UNC. You sleep through it, and take it easy for a few days, and that's it. Results have been mixed. Some have had dramatic improvement, others have not, but the PAE is so benign, and as far as I can tell, has no side effects, that it's worth a shot. If you have your heart set on having your prostate chopped, lasered, or steamed, or frozen, you can always do that later.

I think that the mixed results happen as follows. Urination problems come from many different possible sources, such as prostatitis, lobes of the prostate obstructing the flow, or swelling resulting from prostate cancer, and any one, or even more other causes in combination. The PAE, works for men with some of the causes, but not others. I'm not sure that even the doctors know for sure all of the things it works for, and doesn't work for, but some doctors know at least some of them. So, you need a good knowledge doctor, and a complete workup with a definitive diagnosis.

Knowledgeable doctor.

Neal

Neal thanks for the reply.  My main issue is size.  Do they give you an approximate % of shrinkage?  I could find nothing on that.  Did your insurance pay, if not, what was the price?  Also, what was the wait time to get in for the consult and if approved, wait for the proceedure?  

Also, they went into your arm to run a cath to your groin?  I thought they went through your leg like most heart caths? (I have had 4, they are also painless, much like a colonscopy) Also, do they go to both sides of the prostate, in other words snake the cath through 2 different set of arteries or is there just one main artery or vein that they use?

Thanks so much.

I imagine that %shrinkage is variable. For example, I have some very small arteries on one side that made it difficult for the Interventional Radiologist to work there.

My PAE cost, if I remember correctly, $6,500.00, plus hotel, travel etc. at UNC with Dr. Isaacson. You will never find a more patient oriented physician. That was last December. Insurance, MEDICARE, did not pay, but I don't know what the situation is now. They were working on required FDA approval then. You get the consult almost immediately. Send him an email, or call his office, and HE'LL call you back, usually that day. In my case it took months to schedule the procedure, but that was because of my schedule. I don't know what his delay is.

Yes, he went through my arm. He feels that the recovery is easier there, and I expect that it's easier to maintain a dressing there, and also, you can sit up in the recovery area, which is more comfortable, if you can have it done there. They did, however, prep my groin just in case.

Yes, he did both sides of my prostate from my left arm.

It felt like I was sitting on a rubber pool ball for a few days, and I had some minor urgency for a few days (carry an empty juice

...urgency and frequency. ...

....Juice container in your car for a few days. I didn't use it, but we didn't pass too many rest areas either.

All in all, a piece of cake.

Sorry for the multiple posts.

Neal

Iam going to assume you meant Oct. 19th, 2015 not 2016.

Yes I had it Oct 2016, had only been in use at the Cleveland Clinic for about 3 months and I was the 20th person to have it done. It was approved by the FDA in Sept 2015. As far as I know only about 20 hospitals/urology practices in the US are currently using it. I'm guardedly optimistic that it will offer long term relief,so far so good-absolutely no side effects.

What other symptons did the Rezum procedure improve other than your residuals?

Jim

David I am glad this is working for you. That was a good thing you did not let that first doctor do a Turp. I know from reading and from some of the men on here that it does take a little longer but all we have is time. Good health to you Ken

I have a very interesting theory about BPH symptoms associated with bladder distension and mildly occluded prostates. It is conceivable that a reduction in bladder size, coupled with a minimally invasive prostate procedure, could result in a major reduction in urinary retention. As far as I know the only way to measure bladder size is with a CAT scan,however the insurance is not about to pay for a post Rezum CAT scan to compare with with a previous one. What is important is that the post Rezum results have been favorable.

It is also advisable to be treated by a urologist who has a large patient base and who doesn't stand to benefit financially from any particular prostate reduction procedure. That means finding a hospital based urologist at one of the major academic hospitals, where research into improved treatment procedures is ongoing. The smaller urological practices just don't have the patient base. At the Cleveland Clinic only two of their many urological surgeons are performing the Rezum. As far as I know the hospital rents the Rezum generator from the manufacturer in Minnesota, and the decision as to whether purchase one will depend upon the results over a period of time. As of late May 2016 they had only performed twenty Rezums.

Thank you for sharing this info - interesting indeed. Did the Cleveland Clinic share with your their results to date?

I have yet to find such a urologist and have been to several leading teaching hospitals. Each doctor/hospital are knowledgeable (and biased) in whatever procedure/procedures they do and remarkably uninformed on the procedures they do not do. 

Jim

I would think that you would have to be very carefully in reducing bladder size unless you were positive that the "minimally invasive" prostate procedure would be successful. If not, you could be creating dangerously high pressures in the urinary system leaving you with more problems than you had before. This is why, for example, they will not remove a bladder diverticulum (pouch) unless they clear the obstruction (usually enlarged prostate) first. Both the larger bladder and diverticum act as sort of safety valves to keep the pressures down. Think a balloon. Fill it with air, now decrease the size of the ballon. If the air (urine) can't get out fast enough POP!

Jim

No they gave no indications as to the results, however the surgeon stated the maximal results should take about 5 months. Hopefully by late 2016 they will announce them. He indicated they have been having problems obtaining prior authorization from certain insurance companies, so this may limit the number of procedures they perform.

That could well be true. I've only had experience at one such hospital. However if the Rezum proves effective it will be quite popular: no incision, no anesthesia other than lidocaine, and no restrictions on same day driving..