AquaBeam Robotic Surgery

A Minimally Invasive Treatment Option for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

Aquablation Therapy Surgical Treatment for BPH (enlarged prostate)

Aquablation therapy is a new type of surgical treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). At Texas Health Center for Diagnostics and Surgery we are proud to offer this advanced, minimally invasive treatment with the AquaBeam Robotic System.

We are excited to offer aquablation therapy at Texas Health Center for Diagnostics and Surgery, because we believe in helping men suffering from BPH.  We want them to get their life back and feel like themselves again. 

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. 

About Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

BPH, also called an enlarged prostate, is a noncancerous condition that occurs when the prostate has grown larger than normal.  A normal sized prostate is similar in size to a walnut and is located underneath the bladder and wraps around the urethra.  The prostate gland plays a key role in sexual function.  

When a prostate grows larger than normal, it can:

• Put pressure on the bladder, resulting in weakness or difficulty in fully emptying the bladder
• Narrow the urethra which can make urinating difficult
• If untreated, BPH has the potential to cause irreversible bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones and incontinence

Traditional treatment options for BPH include prescription medication or surgical treatment.  Surgical intervention for BPH falls into two categories, resective and non-resective and typically require men to choose between symptom relief and side effects.  Side effects of traditional BPH surgery may include:

• Incontinence
• Erectile dysfunction
• Ejaculatory dysfunction

Aquablation is different from traditional BPH surgical options by providing the benefits of both resective and non-resective treatment.  By using a multi-dimensional view of the prostate along with a heat-free waterjet controlled by automated robotic technology the surgeon can remove the prostate tissue while maintaining low rates of irreversible complications. 

How Does Aquablation Therapy Work

Aquablation therapy is delivered by the AquaBeam Robotic System, the first FDA-cleared, surgical robot utilizing automated tissue resection for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

With Aquablation therapy, there are two simple steps: the surgical map and removing the prostate tissue.

Step 1: Surgical map: Aquablation therapy is the first and only (as of October 2020) BPH procedure to simultaneously combine the standard camera called a cystoscope with ultrasound guidance imaging giving the surgeon the ability to see the entire prostate in real time. Because every prostate is unique in size and shape, Aquablation therapy has advanced technology tailored to the patient’s specific anatomy. All other surgical procedures only use the cystoscope, limiting the surgeon’s visibility. By combining both imaging technologies, Aquablation therapy provides the surgeon a complete and multi-dimensional view of the prostate, enabling the surgeon to create a map of parts of the prostate to remove, while avoiding areas of the prostate that can cause irreversible complications like erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction, and incontinence. 

Step 2: Removing the prostate tissue: With the on-screen surgical map in place, a robotically controlled, heat-free waterjet removes the prostate tissue to offer predictable and reproducible outcomes, independent of prostate anatomy, prostate size, or surgeon experience. Individual results may vary.

The treatment is performed in the hospital and is done under spinal or general anesthesia. The procedure typically takes less than an hour and involves an overnight stay.