The Hospitals of Providence introduces new procedure to treat enlarged procedure

The Hospitals of Providence Specialty Campus is now offering the Aquablation therapy procedure, a new therapy using waterjet ablation for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).

BPH, or an enlarged prostate, is a non-cancerous condition where the prostate has grown to be larger than normal. According to recent studies, nearly half of men between the ages 51 to 60 have BPH, and the incidence increases every decade of life. In some men, if left untreated, BPH can cause significant health problems, including irreversible bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones and incontinence.

“Aquablation therapy is a different type of treatment for BPH,” said Dr. Lauren Eisenberg, Urologist and physician who performed the first successful procedure. “It’s an advanced, minimally invasive treatment that uses the power of water delivered with robotic precision to provide long-lasting symptom relief with low rates of irreversible complications, regardless of prostate size or shape.”

Aquablation therapy is performed by the AquaBeam Robotic System, the first FDA-cleared, surgical robot utilizing automated tissue resection or the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms due to BPH. It combines real-time, multi-dimensional imaging, automated robotic technology, and heat-free waterjet ablation technology for targeted, controlled, and immediate removal of prostate tissue.

“It is exciting to bring this new, minimally invasive surgical technique to our hospital to improve the quality of life for so many men in our region,” said Erik Cazares, Chief Executive Officer for The Hospitals of Providence Sierra Campus and Specialty Campus. “We are proud to continue expanding services and the procedures that we offer to ensure our patients have the care they need close to home.”

Aquablation therapy uses optics and ultrasound imaging, allowing the surgeon to map which parts of the prostate to remove and which parts to avoid that may cause complications like erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction, and incontinence. The imaging system allows surgeons to develop individualized procedural planning, which can adjust for angle, length, contour, and depth of penetration of the high-pressure water beam.