AQUABLATION® THERAPY
What is Aquablation® Therapy?
Aquablation® Therapy is a new type of surgical treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or enlarged prostate. At North Coast Urology, we are proud to be among the first in San Diego County to offer this advanced, minimally invasive treatment.
Aquablation Therapy® uses the power of water delivered with robotic precision to provide long-lasting BPH relief without compromise. It is precise, consistent, and predictable, and provides long-term relief no matter how large your prostate.
We are excited to offer Aquablation® Therapy at North Coast Urology because we believe in helping men suffering from BPH to get their life back and feel like themselves again.
Benefits of Aquablation® Therapy
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.
- 83% of men with BPH are not willing to sacrifice sexual function for symptom relief with surgery
- 3 in 4 men with BPH feel that surgery requires a tradeoff between symptom relief and side effects
- 1 in 2 men with BPH did not realize how important maintaining sexual function was to them before surgery
Aquablation® Therapy is a one-of-a-kind procedure that aims to minimize this compromise. Studies show:
- 0% impact on erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction or overall sexual satisfaction.
- NEARLY ALL men with BPH preserve ejaculatory function with Aquablation® Therapy.
- 99% of men with BPH did not have incontinence after Aquablation® Therapy.
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® 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:
Step 1: Creating a Surgical Map
Every prostate is unique in size and shape. Aquablation® Therapy enables Dr. Guerena to customize your procedure to your specific anatomy.
How? Aquablation® Therapy is the only BPH surgical procedure integrates ultrasound imaging with the standard camera (called a cystoscope). This gives Dr. Guerena the ability to see the entire prostate in real time, which allows the surgeon to map which parts of your prostate he wants to remove and which parts he wants to avoid.
Specifically, this mapping enables Dr. Guerena 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 Dr. Guerena has 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, Dr. Guerena may choose to use a minimal amount of cautery following an Aquablation® procedure to control bleeding. Click the images on step 1 and 2 below for videos.
Enlarged Prostate
Is Aquablation® Therapy Right for You?
Aquablation® Therapy is a different kind of surgical procedure. There are three reasons it may be right for you, but make sure to discuss with Dr. Guerena to see if you’re a candidate.
1. Low Rates of Irreversible Complications
Aquablation® Therapy has a very low rates of irreversible complications (incontinence, ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction) 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.
2. Long-Time Relief
In clinical studies, Aquablation® Therapy has been shown to provide durable symptom relief.
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% of men with BPH wished their doctors would have discussed Aquablation® Therapy with them earlier.
94% of men with BPH would have considered Aquablation® Therapy if their doctor had told them about it.
Aquablation® Therapy 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 pee 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.
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.
Dr. Guerena with the Aquablation Robot
Have Questions or Want More Info?
For more information, call us at (760) 637-2500, and visit Aquablation.com for Frequently Asked Questions.
To stay up to date on all things related to Aquablation® Therapy , follow Aquablation® Therapy on Facebook and Twitter.
Read Indications For Use and Important Safety Information.
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.