Aquablation therapy is a new type of surgical treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). At Hillcrest Medical Center, we are proud to be among the first in Tulsa, Okla. to offer this advanced, minimally invasive treatment.
We know choosing a treatment option can be overwhelming, as it often forces men to compromise in some way. This could mean not responding well to medication, or choosing a treatment that only provides limited relief, that may have a long recovery time or that may even cause issues with sexual function.
Aquablation therapy is a one-of-a-kind procedure that aims to minimize this compromise.
83%
men with BPH are not willing to sacrifice sexual function for symptom relief with surgery1
3 in 4
men with BPH feel that surgery requires a tradeoff between symptom relief and side effects1
1 in 2
men with BPH did not realize how important maintaining sexual function was to them before surgery1
What is aquablation therapy?
Aquablation therapy uses the power of water delivered with robotic precision to provide long-lasting BPH relief without compromise. It is precise, consistent, predictable and provides long-term relief no matter how large your prostate.2,3
How does aquablation therapy work?
Aquablation therapy is a resective procedure, which means that the prostate tissue causing symptoms is surgically removed. No incision is made in the abdomen, as the prostate is reached through the urethra.
Aquablation therapy is performed in a hospital and is done under anesthesia. The procedure typically takes less than an hour and involves an overnight stay.
There are two key steps to the aquablation procedure:
Step 1. Creating a surgical map
Every prostate is unique in size and shape. Aquablation therapy enables our surgeons at Hillcrest Medical Center to customize your procedure to your specific anatomy.
How? Aquablation therapy is the only BPH surgical procedure that integrates ultrasound imaging with the standard camera (called a cystoscope). This gives our surgeons at Hillcrest Medical Center the ability to see the entire prostate in real time, which allows providers to map which parts of your prostate to remove and which parts to avoid.
Specifically, this mapping enables our surgeons at Hillcrest Medical Center to avoid removing the parts of the prostate that cause irreversible complications like erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction and incontinence.
Step 2. Removing the prostate tissue
Once our surgeons at Hillcrest Medical Center have created a surgical map, a robotically-controlled, heat-free waterjet removes the prostate tissue that was outlined on the map. This robotic technology minimizes human error in removing prostate tissue, and ensures the prostate tissue is removed precisely, consistently and predictably.
When required, our surgeons may choose to use a minimal amount of cautery following an aquablation procedure to control bleeding.
What are the side effects of aquablation therapy?
We know that the primary reason men are delaying surgery is because they are concerned about side effects.1 In fact, a recent survey shows that 85% of men are concerned that surgery will cause incontinence, and four out of five men are concerned that surgery will have a permanent impact on their sexual function.1
In clinical studies, men who had aquablation therapy had a very low rate of irreversible complications—incontinence, ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction.2,3
0%
impact on erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction or overall sexual satisfaction2,3,4
90%
men with BPH preserve ejaculatory function with aquablation therapy2,3,4
99%
men with BPH did not have incontinence after aquablation therapy2,3,4
Is aquablation therapy right for you?
1. Low rates of irreversible complications
Aquablation therapy has very low rates of irreversible complications (incontinence, ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction)2,3,4 because:
- It is the only procedure that gives surgeons the ability to view the entire prostate so they can create a map that avoids the parts of the prostate that cause irreversible complications.
- It is the only procedure that uses a heat-free waterjet to remove prostate tissue. Technologies that use heat to remove prostate tissue may be damaging to the parts of the prostate that control erectile function and ejaculatory function. It should be noted that some surgeons may choose to use a minimal amount of cautery following an aquablation procedure if it is required to control bleeding.
2. Confidence in procedure
Aquablation therapy removes prostate tissue with a robotically-controlled waterjet. This robotic technology minimizes human error and ensures the prostate tissue is removed precisely, consistently and predictably.
3. Long-term relief
In clinical studies, aquablation therapy has been shown to provide durable symptom relief.2
Take the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) Quiz to measure how severe your symptoms are.
Take the Sexual Function Quiz to help you determine if maintaining sexual function after BPH surgery is important to you.
94%
men with BPH wished their doctors would have discussed aquablation therapy with them1
94%
men with BPH would have considered aquablation therapy if their doctor had told them about it1
Aquablation recovery
As with most BPH procedures, you will wake up with a catheter. Patients typically stay overnight in the hospital. We may send you home with a catheter for a few days or may keep you an additional night in the hospital if you are unable to urinate on your own or empty your bladder at the time of discharge.
We know that no one likes staying overnight in a hospital. However, the benefit with Aquablation therapy is that most patients end up leaving the hospital without a catheter.2,3,4
Once you are home, you may experience mild burning during urination for a couple of weeks. This can be managed with mild pain medication.
For more information, visit aquablation.com/safety-information.
Have questions or want more information?
For more information, call us at 918-579-3130, and visit aquablation.com for Frequently Asked Questions.
References
- Data from a global survey of 300 patients with BPH. Data on file at PROCEPT BioRobotics.
- Gilling, P, et al. Three-Year Outcomes after Aquablation Therapy Compared to TURP: Results from a Blinded Randomized Trial. Can J Urol. 2020 Feb;27(1):10072-10079.
- Bhojani, N, et al. Aquablation for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Large Prostates (80-150 cc): 1-Year Results. Urology. 2019 Jul;129:1-7.
- Data on file at PROCEPT BioRobotics.