Mr. A, a man in his 50s diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), initially underwent medication therapy. However, as the effectiveness declined and he became concerned about side effects from surgery, he hesitated to proceed. After careful consideration, he visited the Department of Urology at Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital and, following a consultation with a specialist, underwent a minimally invasive Rezum procedure, resulting in significant improvement.
According to Professor Hyun-Kyu Ahn of the Department of Urology at Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital (Director: Woong Joo), two months after surgery, Mr. A reported no discomfort during urination and has stopped taking all medications for BPH. Moreover, his previously experienced ejaculation disorders have fully recovered, leading to improved urinary function and greater sexual satisfaction.
The hospital proactively introduced the Rezum system in November 2023 and has since performed approximately 50 cases by May 2024, making it one of the most active university hospitals in Korea in performing this procedure. Rezum is a treatment method that injects water vapor to ablate enlarged prostate tissue, thereby reducing its size. It was approved by the U.S. FDA in 2015 and recognized as a new medical technology in Korea as of January 2023.
Included in the American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines, the Rezum procedure is clinically proven and safe. As a minimally invasive treatment, it has become a standard care option for BPH due to its speed and safety.
Professor Ahn, who performed Mr. A’s procedure, explained, “Patients in their 50s and 60s with active social lives often prefer the Rezum procedure because it minimizes side effects like retrograde ejaculation and sexual dysfunction by avoiding damage to ejaculation-related structures while inserting a needle into the prostate to inject steam.”
He added, “Even for patients in their 70s and 80s, the Rezum procedure can be completed safely and easily in about 5 to 10 minutes under light anesthesia, with minimal risk of bleeding, leading to high satisfaction.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Urology at Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital (Chief: Dr. Kwang-Hyun Kim) continues to introduce advanced technologies to build a personalized treatment system for the growing number of BPH patients.
In November 2022, the hospital became the first university hospital in Korea to introduce the AQUABEAM® Robotic System and has been steadily performing procedures using it. For cases of significantly enlarged prostate, it also introduced Korea’s first single-port robotic surgery (SP), offering an innovative alternative to traditional treatments such as TURP or HoLEP.
Dr. Kwang-Hyun Kim emphasized, “Effective BPH treatment is not about the most expensive or newest method, but rather about selecting the right treatment based on each patient’s symptoms, prostate size and shape, and bladder function. Our hospital offers skilled physicians, state-of-the-art equipment, and a variety of surgical techniques to provide tailored care.”
