Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital now offers a new treatment for patients with an enlarged prostate, a common condition that impacts millions of men in the U.S.
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), or an enlarged prostate, is a prostate that has grown to be larger than normal. BPH is not prostate cancer. As the prostate grows, it may constrict the urethra, making it difficult to urinate. It also may apply pressure on the bladder, causing the bladder to weaken and have difficulty emptying.
BPH may impact a person’s ability to hold urine or empty the bladder. If symptoms are left untreated, bladder and kidney function may be impacted over time.
There are different ways to treat an enlarged prostate through medication, minimally invasive procedures, and surgery. Previously, different treatments had varying degrees of success and included side effects such as poor response to medication, limited relief, a long recovery time, or reduced sexual function.
I recently began offering a new therapy called Aquablation. This is an advanced, minimally invasive treatment that uses imaging, robotics, and a heat-free waterjet to remove prostate tissue. Studies have shown it provides long-lasting relief with low rates of complications.
The procedure takes about one hour and is done in the operating room with the patient under anesthesia. About 30% of patients – men whose prostates are considered bigger – will spend one night in the hospital for additional monitoring. I see patients at Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital, and my partner Kathryn Scott, MD, offers the treatment at Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver.
Recovery takes about two to six weeks as the bladder returns to normal function after it has been blocked for a time. When the prostate is enlarged, it’s almost like having to pass urine through a cocktail straw. It’s so narrow, the bladder works harder to pass urine, and the bladder gets stronger. After surgery, the flow of urine is easier, so patients may have an overactive bladder for a brief time.
Patients who have had the procedure have said they don’t get up at night, and they can empty their bladder completely. They see excellent results longer term with fewer impacts on sexual function.
The reason I switched from the traditional way to treat BPH to using the waterjet therapy is because the patients love it. This was truly a patient-centered decision to offer this service, and I’m glad I switched.
Shandra Wilson, MD, is a board-certified urologist at Intermountain Health Lutheran Clinic in Wheat Ridge and sees patients throughout the Denver area. She is a Colorado native (born at the former Lutheran Medical Center). Dr. Wilson has a strong clinical focus on prostate, bladder, and kidney cancers, BPH, kidney stones, and men’s health.
