What is Aquablation, and is It for Me?

For many men, an enlarged prostate is one common side effect of aging. For some, this change begins around age 40 — and about half of the male population experience this condition by age 60.

Often, this change doesn’t lead to any significant issues. However, some men may experience sleep disruptions due to the need to use the bathroom frequently at night. You may also develop other urinary problems, including the inability to empty your bladder fully.

If you’re experiencing the signs of an enlarged prostate, it helps to know what’s going on. William Herre, MD, a urologist at AdventHealth South Overland Park, explains helpful tips and treatment options.

What Is Aquablation?

Removing obstructing tissue via surgery or laser procedures has traditionally been the most common form of treatment for persistent moderate to severe symptoms. Though helpful, the use of heat does bring risks, including erectile dysfunction.

One option to reduce certain risks is Aquablation. This minimally invasive robotic approach uses heat-free technology to remove a precise amount of tissue with a jet of water — no physical incision required.

What Is BPH?

The prostate is a ping-pong ball-sized gland that makes a fluid that forms part of semen. The prostate surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the bladder. If the prostate is enlarged, it’s called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH.

“A BPH diagnosis starts with a face-to-face encounter with your urologist,” said Dr. Herre. “We do a thorough review of your symptoms, medical history, medications, and rule out other causes. We recommend prostate imaging, usually in the form of ultrasound and cystoscopy to better understand your anatomy.”

BPH is not cancerous, but can cause problems. Some symptoms of an enlarged prostate that men should not ignore include urinary frequency, urinary urgency with and without incontinence, trouble getting a urine stream started, weak stream or straining to urinate, waking at night to urinate and urinary tract infections.

“If left untreated, BPH can cause a worse quality of life and cause men to be at increased risk for urinary tract infections, bladder stone development, loss of bladder function requiring catheterization and kidney damage requiring dialysis,” said Dr. Herre.

This is where Aquablation comes in.

How Does Aquablation Work?

Its name provides a clue: It combines “aqua,” or water, with “ablation,” the surgical removal of tissue. The process starts by mapping out the area needing treatment using detailed images from an ultrasound, allowing the surgeon to see the entire prostate during treatment. Using this personalized map, your surgeon programs a robotic system to guide a waterjet directly to only the intended tissue.

“Aquablation is a personalized and efficient surgery that usually takes about an hour to ninety minutes to complete,” said Dr. Herre. “It preserves erections and minimizes ejaculatory dysfunction to 10 percent. There is 100 percent preserved continence with only six percent of men requiring another form of treatment at five years.”

After Aquablation, most men discharge from the hospital either the day of surgery or the day after and have a catheter for one to three days. Total recovery time is about six weeks. During that time, men may experience intermittent bleeding, urinary frequency, urgency and burning with urinating.

AdventHealth is leading the way in Aquablation treatment with the newest robotic technology to help more patients get back to whole health sooner.

“Aquablation is a fantastic procedure that is changing the way we manage and treat BPH,” said Dr. Herre. “This new technology helps us to be proficient surgeons. We are able to perform surgeries faster and safer than ever before.”

Helping You Return to Whole Health

Aquablation may help you find relief while avoiding the risks of traditional surgery. Call Call913-373-5853 or click here to see all Aquablation therapy physicians and learn more about the innovative treatment at AdventHealth South Overland Park.