Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital is the first in the Bay Area to offer Aquablation, a minimally invasive surgical treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate. The incisionless procedure differs from other options because it uses water instead of heat, reducing side effects.

 

With Aquablation, urologists use an image-guided robotic arm to hold a waterjet that very precisely removes the prostate tissue causing symptoms. No incision is made, as the prostate is reached through the urethra.

 

“Because we don’t use heat or make incisions, we don’t damage the remaining nerves,” said Dr. Gabriel Rodriguez, a urologist at Houston Methodist Clear Lake. “This reduces post-operative pain and speeds recovery, compared to traditional surgical approaches – it also allows us to treat any sized prostate with virtually no risk to sexual function.” 

 

The procedure is performed while the patient is under anesthesia in an operating room, and typically takes about 45 minutes – almost half as long as traditional surgical options.

 

“Aquablation is remarkably effective,” said Rodriguez. “When we look at men five years post-surgery, 95% of them still don’t need re-treatment. It’s a very durable treatment option for men with BPH and has the lowest risk of sexual side effects, compared to traditional prostate surgeries.” 

 

The best candidates for this procedure are men 55 to 75 years old who are in good health, have few comorbidities and can be without blood thinners. Many insurance companies now cover the procedure.

 

For more information, visit houstonmethodist.org/spg/urology/bay-area.