WATER VAPOR THERMAL ABLATION OF THE PROSTATE

Course overview

WATER VAPOR ABLATION OF THE PROSTATE (WVAP) IS A MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR LOWER URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS CAUSED BY BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA (BPH). WVAP RELIEVES PROSTATIC URETHRAL OBSTRUCTION BY ABLATING THE HYPERPLASTIC TISSUES RESTRICTING URINE FLOW. ABLATION IS ACHIEVED BY DIRECTLY INJECTING WATER VAPOR PRODUCED BY CONVECTIVE HEAT TRANSFER INTO THE OBSTRUCTING PROSTATIC TISSUE.WVAP IS AN EFFECTIVE, MINIMALLY INVASIVE TREATMENT ALTERNATIVE FOR CAREFULLY SELECTED MEN EXPERIENCING MODERATE TO SEVERE LOWER URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS. THIS PROCEDURE IS PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE IN MEN WITH LARGER PROSTATIC VOLUMES AND IS THE ONLY PROCEDURE THAT ALLOWS FOR RELIEF OF OBSTRUCTION DUE TO ENLARGEMENT OF THE PROSTATIC MEDIAN LOBE. ADDITIONALLY, WVAP REQUIRES ONLY MINUTES TO COMPLETE, CAN BE PERFORMED IN VARIOUS SETTINGS, AND MAY BE PERFORMED WITH LOCAL ANESTHESIA IN SELECT PATIENTS.THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE INDICATIONS, PATIENT SELECTION PROTOCOLS, SURGICAL TECHNIQUES, OUTCOMES, COMPLICATIONS, AND POSTOPERATIVE CARE PROTOCOLS FOR WVAP AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL HEALTHCARE TEAM IN IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR MEN WITH SYMPTOMATIC BPH UNDERGOING THIS MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURE.