Therapy Can Preserve Sexual Function for Men With BPH

Tucson, AZ – Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital surgical teams celebrated their 200^th case using Aquablation® therapy with the Aquabeam™ Robotic System, the next-generation platform to treat men suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), commonly known as an enlarged prostate.

“We are excited to offer this cutting-edge therapy because it provides an effective, minimally invasive option to treat BPH and its related symptoms while potentially preserving sexual function in men,” says Dr. William Kuo, Urologist, Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital.

BPH is a non-cancerous condition where the prostate has grown to be larger than normal. The prevalence of BPH is estimated to be 50-75% in men 50 and older and upwards of 80% in men 80 and older.¹ It’s estimated a quarter of all men will deal with symptoms related to this in their lifetime.²

Aquablation therapy was designed to offer an effective solution for BPH, minimizing the need for men to choose between safety and efficacy. Aquablation therapy is unique in its use of real-time, ultrasound-guided, robotic-assisted waterjet technology, allowing surgeons to create a personalized treatment plan that precisely targets which prostate tissue to remove and which to preserve. With this tailored approach, the system accurately removes problematic tissue while safeguarding critical anatomy.

“This results in faster and more precise removal of obstructive prostate tissue allowing us to treat patients with larger prostates and increase the chance of preserving ejaculatory function in the appropriate patients,” says Dr. Anthony Chavez, Urologist, Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital.

June is officially Men's Health Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about preventable health problems in men and encouraging early detection and treatment of diseases in men and boys. Carondelet Health Network emphasizes the importance of men prioritizing their health and wellness by adopting healthy lifestyle choices, seeking regular medical check-ups and finding this type of advanced therapy if diagnosed with an enlarged prostate.

“The HYDROS robotic system highlights another area of our continued investment into the cutting-edge technology for our community” says Monica Vargas-Mahar, Market CEO, Carondelet Health Network. “We are proud to continue offering this advancement in medical technology to patients with BPH.”

Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital was the first in Tucson to use Aquablation beginning in August of 2023. Aquablation therapy is another way Carondelet Health Network continues to invest in the health of the Tucson community through bringing advances in technology to the people who can benefit from them. People interested in learning more can go to: https://www.carondelet.org/find-a-doctor

1. https://www.urologic.theclinics.com/article/S0094-0143(16)30002-7/abstract
2. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-06628-8

About Carondelet Health Network

Carondelet Health Network is comprised of Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital, Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital, Carondelet Holy Cross Hospital, Carondelet Marana Emergency Center, Carondelet St. Raphael’s Emergency Center, Carondelet Neurological Institute, Carondelet Heart and Vascular Institute, as well as primary care and specialty physician offices. For more information visit www.carondelet.org.