Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center is now offering Aquablation therapy for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Aquablation therapy is performed by the AquaBeamâ Robotic System, the first FDA-cleared, surgical robot utilizing automated tissue resection for the treatment of LUTS due to BPH. Aquablation therapy combines real-time, multi-dimensional imaging, automated robotics, and heat-free waterjet ablation for targeted, controlled, and immediate removal of prostate tissue. Combining both cystoscopic visualization and ultrasound imaging, surgeons can create a personalized treatment plan tailored to each patient’s anatomy. Once the map is complete, the robotically controlled waterjet ablates the prostate tissue, avoiding critical structures to preserve sexual function and continence. Proven in numerous clinical studies, Aquablation therapy offers predictable and reproducible outcomes, independent of prostate anatomy, prostate size, or surgeon experience.

“We are proud to be among the first in our area to offer a solution for men with BPH that provides significant, long-lasting symptom relief with lower risk to their sexual function or continence,” said Dr. William R. Rankin, urologist at Ephraim McDowell Urology. “Aquablation therapy is the next step to furthering our commitment to robotic surgery and men’s health.”

BPH, or an enlarged prostate, is a non-cancerous condition where the prostate has grown to be larger than normal. One in two men ages 51 to 60 have BPH, and the incidence increases every decade of life. If left untreated, BPH can cause significant health problems, including irreversible bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones, and incontinence. Current BPH surgical treatments often force men to tradeoff between symptom relief and side effects, limiting patients to choose between either a high degree of symptom relief with high rates of irreversible complications such as incontinence, erectile dysfunction, or ejaculatory dysfunction, or a low degree of symptom relief with low rates of irreversible complications.

For more information on Aquablation therapy, visit aquablation.com or call Ephraim McDowell Urology at (859) 236-9670.