Aquablation

Aquablation Therapy Surgical Treatment for BPH (enlarged prostate)

Aquablation therapy is a real-time, ultrasound-guided, robotic-assisted, heat-free waterjet for the treatment of BPH. At the Urology Group of Southern California, we are proud to offer this advanced, minimally invasive treatment. Using a heat-free waterjet controlled by robotic-assisted technology, this one-of-a-kind procedure can be performed on prostates of any shape and size to deliver durable, long-lasting relief with low rates of irreversible side effects.

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. You will be under anesthesia for the entire procedure. The procedure typically takes an hour and may involve an overnight stay.

There are two key steps to the Aquablation therapy procedure:

Step 1. Surgical Planning

Every prostate is unique in size and shape. Aquablation therapy enables Dr. Liu-Chen to customize your procedure to your specfic anatomy.

How? Aquablation therapy is the only BPH surgical procedure that integrates ultrasound imaging with the standard camera (called a cystoscope). With the help of ultrasound imaging, doctors can create a detailed guide to plan the procedure, outlining the specific areas of the prostate that need removal. The tissue within the marked area of the prostate may be removed, while the tissue outside of it may remain untouched. This real-time visualization allows Dr. Liu-Chen to map which parts to remove and which parts to avoid, specifically enabling him to avoid removing areas that could cause irreversible complications like erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction, and incontinence.

Step 2. Prostate Tissue Removal

Once Dr. Liu-Chen has created a surgical map, a robotic-assisted system follows the surgical plan and resects the targeted prostate tissue using a heat-free waterjet. This advanced technology helps ensure precise, consistent, and predictable removal of the tissue. When required, Dr. Liu-Chen may 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. In fact, a recent survey shows that 85% of men are concerned that surgery will cause incontinence, and 4 out of 5 men are concerned that surgery will have a permanent impact on their sexual function.

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

Is Aquablation Therapy right for you?

Aquablation therapy is a different kind of surgical procedure. There are many reasons it may be right for you, but make sure to discuss with our surgeons 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 a 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 a 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 surgeons may use a minimal amount of cautery following an Aquablation therapy procedure to control bleeding.

2. Confidence in Procedure

Aquablation therapy is a procedure that resects prostate tissue with a robotically controlled waterjet, designed to minimize human error.

For more information

https://aquablation.com/safety-information/

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.

The above is only for medical information and does not constitute medical advice. Please contact your doctor if you have any questions.