Aquablation Therapy Surgical Treatment for BPH (enlarged prostate)
Aquablation therapy is a new type of surgical treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). At UNC Health Johnston, we are proud to be among the first in the region to offer this advanced, minimally invasive treatment.
We are excited to offer Aquablation therapy at UNC Health Johnston in Smithfield, because we believe in helping men suffering from BPH feel like themselves again.
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
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, and predictable, and provides long-term relief no matter how large your prostate.
How does Aquablation Therapy work?
Aquablation therapy is a resective procedure, which surgically removes the prostate tissue causing symptoms. 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 surgeon 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 (a cystoscope). This allows our surgeon to map which parts of your prostate to remove and/or to avoid.
Specifically, this mapping enables our surgeon 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
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 surgeon may choose to use a minimal amount of cautery following an Aquablation procedure to control bleeding.
What are the side effects of Aquablation therapy?
The primary reason men delay surgery is because they are concerned about side effects.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
NEARLY ALL
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?
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 our surgeon to see if you’re a candidate.
1. Low Rates of Irreversible Complications
Aquablation therapy has very low rates of irreversible complications (incontinence, ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction) because it’s the only procedure that:
- Gives surgeons the ability to view the entire prostate so they can create a map that avoids parts of the prostate that cause irreversible complications.
- Uses a heat-free waterjet to remove prostate tissue, which is less damaging to the parts of the prostate that control erectile function and ejaculatory function.
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.
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, patients wake up with a catheter and typically stay overnight in the hospital. In some cases, you may be sent home with a catheter for a few days or you may stay an additional night for additional supervision.
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 on Aquablation therapy visit Aquablation.com for Frequently Asked Questions.
