Our Office
CONDITIONS
General Health
Men’s Health
Women’s Health
Urinary Leakage (Incontinence)
Urologic Cancers
SERVICES
BPH Treatments
Patient Services
Aquablation BPH Treatment
Aquablation® therapy is a safe and effective treatment for patients suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to BPH. 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.
New Treatment for BPH
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 Dr. Tubre 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 irreversible complications—incontinence, ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction.
“The fact that Aquablation therapy is minimally-invasive and is a robotic procedure gave me a high degree of confidence.”
- Chris D., 55
Aquablation Therapy: The 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 involves an overnight stay.
THERE ARE TWO KEY STEPS TO THE PROCEDURE:
Side view (sagittal view) of prostate on ultrasound imaging during Aquablation therapyIn this video, Dr. Tubre is creating a surgical map of the parts of the prostate to remove and the parts to avoid.
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 Dr. Tubre the ability to see the entire prostate in real time.
All other surgical procedures use only a camera, limiting Dr. Tubre’s ability to see.
The addition of ultrasound imaging in Aquablation therapy allows Dr. Tubre to map which parts of the prostate to remove and which parts to avoid.
Dr. Tubre will work to map around the parts of the prostate that cause irreversible complications like erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction, and incontinence.
Robotically controlled, heat free waterjet removes prostate tissue during Aquablation therapy
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.
Robotically controlled, heat free waterjet removes prostate tissue during Aquablation therapy
“There were two things that led me to choose Aquablation therapy. First, the lack of heat was key, as I knew heat was associated with undesirable side effects. And second, pairing the skill of my urologist with robotics ensured that the precision necessary for this procedure was there.”
- Paul, 58
WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE AQUABLATION THERAPY
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 Irreversible Complications
Aquablation therapy has a very low rate of irreversible complications (incontinence, ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction)1,2 because of:
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 Dr. Tubre 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, Dr. Tubre’s view of the prostate is limited to a single camera (cystoscope). This limits Dr. Tubre’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.1,2
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 THERAPY PROVEN RESULTS
“Aquablation therapy was the surgery that fixed me. It’s minimally invasive, and it uses water to create the opening needed in your urethra. During the recovery time, as my body healed, I could tell everything was fine. I knew right away that it was working.”
- Chris D., 55
AQUABLATION RECOVERY
As with most BPH procedures, you will wake up with a catheter, which allows you to pee while your urethra heals.
Patients typically stay overnight in the hospital. Before discharge, the doctor will typically remove the catheter and ask you to pee on your own.
If you cannot pee on your own and empty your bladder, the doctor may send you home with a catheter for a few days or may keep you an additional night in the hospital.
While no one likes staying overnight in a hospital, the benefit with Aquablation therapy is that most patients end up leaving the hospital without a catheter.1,2,3
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 doctor.
References
- Gilling PJ et al. Five-year outcomes for Aquablation therapy compared to TURP: results from a double-blind, randomized trial in men with LUTS due to BPH. Can J Urol. 2022 Feb;29(1):10960-10968.
- 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.