What is Rezūm?
Rezūm (pronounced “resume”) is a minimally invasive treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia that uses convective water vapor — sterile steam — to destroy excess prostate tissue. A small device is passed through the urethra under local anesthesia, and the steam is delivered in nine-second injections directly into the enlarged tissue. The thermal energy disrupts the obstructing cells, and over the following weeks your body's natural healing response absorbs the treated tissue. The prostate shrinks, pressure on the urethra eases, and urine flow improves.
Unlike medication, which only relaxes or slowly suppresses the gland and works only as long as you keep taking it, Rezūm removes the problem tissue. Clinical follow-up out to five years shows durable symptom relief for the majority of treated men, with a low rate of needing re-treatment.
Who is a good candidate for Rezūm?
Rezūm works best for men with moderate BPH symptoms and a prostate in the roughly 30–80 gram range, including many men with an obstructive median lobe. It's a strong fit if you want to stop taking daily BPH medication, want to preserve ejaculation and erectile function, or want a quick in-office procedure rather than an operating room.
At your consultation we measure your prostate, check your flow rate and post-void residual, and review your symptom score — then tell you honestly whether Rezūm, another minimally invasive option, or our flagship Prostate Artery Embolization fits your anatomy best.
What happens during the procedure?
The visit takes under an hour door to door. After local anesthetic, your urologist passes a thin scope into the urethra and delivers a series of nine-second steam injections — typically four to seven, depending on prostate size and shape. Most men describe pressure and warmth rather than pain. You go home the same day.
Because the prostate swells briefly while it heals, most men go home with a small temporary catheter for about three to seven days. That's the main short-term trade-off of Rezūm, and it's worth knowing up front.
Recovery and results
Mild burning with urination, urgency, and some blood in the urine or semen are normal for the first couple of weeks. Most men return to desk work within a few days. Symptom improvement begins around two to four weeks as the treated tissue is absorbed, with maximum benefit by about three months. In clinical studies, men maintained roughly 50% improvement in symptom scores through five years, and preservation of ejaculatory function was one of Rezūm's standout findings.
Rezūm vs. PAE — the head-to-head
You asked the right question — here is the same comparison we draw on the whiteboard in our consultation room, line by line.
| Rezūm | PAE | |
|---|---|---|
| Route into the body | Instrument through the urethra | Tiny groin access — urethra untouched |
| Catheter afterward | Usually 3–7 days | None |
| Prostate size treated | ~30–80 g | Virtually any size, incl. 100 g+ |
| What's left in the body | Nothing | Only the medicine |
| Sexual function | Preserved in most | Preserved |
| Recovery | Irritative symptoms 1–2 weeks | Essentially none — back in 1–3 days |
Our verdict: Rezūm is a respectable option for smaller glands — but PAE achieves the same goal of shrinking the prostate without ever entering the urethra, without the post-procedure catheter, and without a size ceiling. For most men weighing the two, PAE is simply the more comfortable road to the same destination.