10 MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
New technology for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia Pavinee Sriprapat Bumrungrad International Hospital recently performed the latest minimally invasive procedure of water vapour therapy for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia for the first time in Thailand. At present, the number of the elderly persons is increasing worldwide, which is raising health concerns among international public health organisations. One of the most common health problems in older males is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), which is found in 50% of men aged 50 and over, and 70% of men aged 60 and over. An 85-yearold man would have a 90% chance of having BPH. Usually, symptoms appear at around 50 years of age or older. The symptoms include difficulty urinating, frequent or urgent need to urinate, especially at night, or inconsistent urine stream, which have a negative impact on the quality of life. The symptoms and severity of BPH vary, regardless of the size of the prostate. According to pharmacist Artirat Charukitpipat, CEO of Bumrungrad International Hospital, “Bumrungrad recognises the problem and has adopted the latest minimally invasive procedure by water vapour therapy for BPH for the first time in Thailand. This convenient, fast and minimally invasive procedure is appropriate for people who have trouble urinating as a result of BPH. The water vapour therapy for BPH) was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2015. It was also approved by the Thai Food and Drug
UPDATE 1/2022
Administration in early 2021. Bumrungrad’s Urology Center, one of our Centers of Excellence, strives to provide an accurate diagnosis and immediately effective treatments which meet international safety standards. Dr. Viroj Chodchoy, Medical Director of the Urology Center and Specialist in Urology at Bumrungrad International Hospital, explained that water vapour therapy for BPH is the latest alternative treatment that takes a short time to apply, and is simple and safe. Water vapour therapy works best for two types of patients: 1. Water vapour therapy is effective for the patients who take medications for BPH and still suffer symptoms of BPH or side effects – frequent urination at night, fainting/passing out, or headache. It also works for patients for whom BPH medications worked well at the beginning but now yield unsatisfactory results, or patients who do not want to take medication for the rest of their life; 2. Water vapour therapy relieves stress in patients who require surgery and are afraid of the effects on their sexual health. Semen is not released during orgasm; the patients feel only air coming out and lose sexual pleasure. According to the statistics, 60%-70% of the patients who have undergone prostate surgery suffer sexual problems post-surgery, which are irreversible. Water vapour therapy works best with the patients who have a healthy sex life because it has almost no effect on sexual health.
