Aquablation

Aquablation therapy is treatment for enlarged prostate or Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH). It’s an advanced, minimally invasive treatment that uses a water jet delivered with robotic precision to provide long lasting BPH relief.

What is Aquablation?

Aquablation therapy is a safe and effective treatment for patients suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms due to enlarged prostate. It can be performed on prostates of any size and shape.
Aquablation therapy is a resective procedure, meaning that the prostate tissue causing symptoms is removed. No incision is made, as the prostate is reached through the urethra (urine tube to the bladder).

New treatment for enlarged prostate

Aquablation therapy is a one-of-a-kind procedure. It is the only procedure that uses a heat-free waterjet controlled by robotic technology to remove prostate tissue.

In addition, it is the only procedure that combines a camera (called a cystoscope) with ultrasound imaging, giving the surgeon the ability to see the entire prostate in real time. As a result, Aquablation therapy is precise, consistent and predictable, and provides long-term relief no matter how large your prostate is.

In clinical studies, men who had Aquablation therapy had a very low rate of permanent complications—incontinence, ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction.

The Aquablation procedure

Aquablation therapy is a robotic procedure that removes prostate tissue using the power of water. The treatment is performed in a hospital and is done under anesthesia. The procedure typically takes less than an hour and typically involves an overnight stay.

Step 1. Creating a surgical map

Every prostate is unique in size and shape, so it is important for a surgeon to customize the surgery to the patient’s specific anatomy.

Aquablation therapy is the only procedure that combines a camera (called a cystoscope) with ultrasound imaging, giving the surgeon the ability to see the entire prostate in real time.

Most other surgical procedures use only a camera, limiting the surgeon’s ability to see.

The addition of ultrasound imaging in Aquablation therapy allows the surgeon to map which parts of the prostate to remove and which parts to avoid.

The surgeon will work to map around the parts of the prostate that cause irreversible complications like erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction and incontinence.

Step 2. Removing the prostate tissue

With the surgical plan in place, a robotically-controlled, heat-free waterjet removes the prostate tissue that has been mapped out. This robotic technology minimizes human error in removing prostate tissue, and ensures the prostate tissue is removed precisely, consistently, and predictably.
It should be noted that some surgeons may choose to use a minimal amount of cautery following an Aquablation procedure to control bleeding.

Why Aquablation may be right for you

There are numerous surgical treatment options for BPH. Aquablation therapy is a different kind of surgical procedure, and there are three reasons it may be right for you.

1. Low rates of permanent complications
   Aquablation therapy has a very low rate of permanent complications (incontinence, ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction).
   View of the entire prostate with ultrasound Imaging
   Aquablation therapy is the only procedure that uses a camera (cystoscope) in combination with ultrasound imaging to view the prostate. This enables the surgeon to see the entire prostate so he or she can create a surgical map of the areas of the prostate to remove and those to avoid. In every other available surgical procedure, the surgeon’s view of the prostate is limited to a single camera (cystoscope). This limits the surgeon’s ability to see the parts of the prostate that control erectile function, ejaculatory function, and incontinence.
   Heat-free waterjet technology
   Aquablation therapy is the only procedure that uses a heat-free waterjet to remove prostate tissue. Most resective procedures utilize heat to remove prostate tissue, and heat 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 to control bleeding. In clinical studies, men who had Aquablation therapy had a very low rate of irreversible complications—incontinence, ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction.

2. Confidence in procedure
   Aquablation therapy is the only procedure that removes prostate tissue with a robotically-controlled waterjet. This robotic technology minimizes human error in removing prostate tissue 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 long-term relief at three years.

Aquablation results

0%
Impact on erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction or overall sexual satisfaction

~90%
Of men with BPH preserve ejaculatory function with Aquablation therapy

99%
Of men with BPH did not have incontinence after Aquablation therapy

Aquablation recovery

As with most BPH procedures, you will wake up with a catheter, which allows urine to pass while your urethra heals.
Patients typically stay overnight in the hospital. Your surgeon will make a plan for catheter removal.
Once you’re home, you may experience mild burning during urination for a couple of weeks. This can be managed with mild pain medication. Patients can resume their normal activities once approved by their surgeon.