Aquablation Therapy

UNC Health Pardee now offers Aquablation therapy, a new, minimally invasive treatment for men suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Pardee was the first in North Carolina to perform this procedure using Procept Biorobotics' newest robotic technology.

Aquablation therapy is the only real-time, ultrasound-guided, robotic-assisted, heat-free waterjet for the treatment of BPH. This one-of-a-kind procedure can be performed on prostates of any shape and size to deliver durable, long-lasting relief with low rates of irreversible side effects.

Aquablation therapy aims to give men relief without compromise.

83%

of men with BPH are not willing to sacrifice sexual function for symptom relief with surgery¹

3 in 4

men with BPH feel that surgery requires a trade-off between symptom relief and side effects¹

1 in 2

men with BPH did not realize maintaining sexual function was important to them before surgery¹

What is Aquablation therapy?

Aquablation therapy uses a heat-free waterjet to remove problematic tissue in the prostate. The treatment provides patients with long-term relief without sacrificing sexual function or continence. Aquablation therapy is for prostates of any shape or size.

How does Aquablation therapy work?

Aquablation therapy removes the prostate tissue causing symptoms during a surgical procedure. The urologic surgeon reaches the prostate through the urethra and makes no incision in the abdomen.

Your surgeon will perform your procedure in a hospital under anesthesia. The average completion time for Aquablation therapy is less than one hour. You will need to stay in the hospital overnight.

The procedure has two key steps. Your surgeon will begin by creating a surgical map and will end by removing the problematic prostate tissue.

Step One: Creating a Surgical Map

No two prostates are the same. Your surgeon will customize your procedure to your anatomy. Aquablation therapy enables your surgeon to see your entire prostate in real time with ultrasound imaging. Your surgeon uses this cutting-edge technology to map which parts of your prostate to remove and which parts to avoid.

A surgical map enables surgeons to avoid removing parts of the prostate that cause irreversible complications like erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction and incontinence.

Step Two: Removing Prostate Tissue

After your surgeon creates a surgical map, a robotically-controlled, heat-free waterjet removes the prostate tissue that was outlined on the map. This robotic technology minimizes human error in removing prostate tissue. Your surgeon uses the robotic technology to ensure the prostate tissue is removed precisely, consistently and predictably.

Your surgeon may choose to use a minimal amount of cautery if needed following an Aquablation procedure to control bleeding.

What are the side effects of Aquablation therapy?

The primary reason men delay surgery is because they are concerned about possible side effects.1 A recent survey shows that 85% of men are concerned that surgery will cause incontinence, and 4 out of 5 men are concerned that surgery will have a permanent impact on their sexual function.1

In clinical studies, men who had Aquablation therapy had a low rate of irreversible complications—incontinence, ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction.2,3

0%

impact on erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction or overall sexual satisfaction^2,3,4

90%

of men with BPH preserve ejaculatory function with Aquablation therapy^2,3,4

99%

of men with BPH did not have incontinence after Aquablation therapy^2,3,4

Is Aquablation therapy right for you?

The best way to determine if Aquablation therapy is right for you is to talk to a surgeon. However, there are three determining factors that can help you decide.

1. Low Rates of Irreversible Complications

Aquablation therapy has low rates of irreversible complications (incontinence, ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction)2,3,4 because:

It is the only procedure that gives surgeons the ability to view the entire prostate. The surgeon can create a map that avoids the parts of the prostate that cause irreversible complications.
It is the only procedure that uses a heat-free waterjet to remove prostate tissue. Technologies that use heat to remove prostate tissue may be damaging to the parts of the prostate that control erectile function and ejaculatory function. It should be noted that some surgeons may choose to use a minimal amount of cautery following an Aquablation procedure if needed to control bleeding.

2. Confidence in Procedure

Aquablation therapy removes prostate tissue with a robotically-controlled waterjet. This robotic technology minimizes human error and ensures the prostate tissue is removed precisely, consistently and predictably.

3. Long-Term Relief

In clinical studies, Aquablation therapy has been shown to provide durable symptom relief.²

94%

of men with BPH wished their doctors would have discussed Aquablation therapy with them¹

94%

of men with BPH would have considered Aquablation therapy if their doctor had told them about it¹

Recovery Process

As with most BPH procedures, you will wake up with a catheter. Patients typically stay overnight in the hospital. Your surgeon may keep you an additional night in the hospital if you are unable to pee on your own or empty your bladder at the time of discharge. Your surgeon may send you home with a catheter for a up to a week. Once the catheter is removed, it is common to experience mild burning for up to a week.

For more information, visit aquablation.com/safety-information.

1. Data from a global survey of 300 patients with BPH. Data on file at PROCEPT BioRobotics.

2. Gilling, P, et al. Three-Year Outcomes after Aquablation Therapy Compared to TURP: Results from a Blinded Randomized Trial. Can J Urol. 2020 Feb;27(1):10072-10079.

3. Bhojani, N, et al. Aquablation for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Large Prostates (80-150 cc): 1-Year Results. Urology. 2019 Jul;129:1-7.

4. Data on file at PROCEPT BioRobotics.

The AquaBeam® Robotic System is intended for the resection and removal of prostate tissue in males suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia.