Prostate gland enlargement, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH, can cause uncomfortable urinary symptoms for men. As men age, the risk of BPH increases. Approximately 30 percent of men experience symptoms by age 60 and 50 percent of men by age 80.

A new minimally invasive therapy, marketed as Rezūm, uses steam to reduce the size of the prostate and alleviate symptoms. This treatment has been shown to effectively eliminate excess prostate tissue, while carrying a low risk of side effects.

Steam treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia is performed in the clinic and takes about one hour. It doesn’t require a hospital stay. During the treatment, a tiny needle is inserted into the urethra and positioned within the prostate gland. In nine seconds, the needle produces a steam ball within the prostate that is about 2 centimeters wide. All the tissue the steam touches is destroyed. That eliminates the extra prostate tissue that causes benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms.

Watch this Mayo Clinic Minute for more details about steam treatment for BPH: