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MESA, Arizona (August 6, 2021) – A new minimally invasive procedure is helping men who suffer from benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, otherwise known simply as an enlarged prostate. Aquablation therapy uses a robot and a heat-free waterjet near the speed of sound to remove the prostate tissue that is causing symptoms.
No incisions are made. Instead, the surgeon reaches the prostate through the urethra. Once inside, a small camera allows them to see in real time which part of the prostate tissue they need to remove and which tissue to avoid removing. This helps to avoid any irreversible complications, such as erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction or incontinence.
Urologist Dr. Rahul Mehan has been performing the Aquablation procedure exclusively at Banner Baywood Medical Center for almost two years, and says many of his patients have found relief because of it. The procedure typically takes less than an hour to complete and involves an overnight stay in the hospital to recover.
“It is the latest and the greatest of BPH treatments that are out there,” said Dr. Mehan. “There’s been a ‘renaissance’ of new technology. Aquablation is really the future of that renaissance, and that future is now.”
As Dr. Mehan explains, some men have an enlarged prostate the size of a golf ball, and there are other options to treat these patients. But in cases when the prostate is the size of an orange, side effects from other treatments could be concerning – such as the lack of sexual function after surgery. That’s when patients such as Paul Schween find Aquablation to be more helpful.
Some of the biggest issues caused by an enlarged prostate are the need to go to the bathroom several times during the night, and a weak urinary system in which urine does not flow freely. Schween says before his Aquablation procedure, he weighed his options and their potential side effects. Schween was convinced the Aquablation procedure was right for him.
“I don’t use the word ‘miracle’ lightly, but we’re right there,” Schween said. “I owe Dr. Mehan a great deal of thanks because he educated me. He gave me room to make an informed decision, and my wife and I agree that it was the right thing for me. I’m so glad I did it.”
Being in his late 50s, having to go to the bathroom several times was becoming a struggle. He was concerned about how much further damage his enlarged prostate could cause if he didn’t get his condition treated. Under the care of Dr. Mehan, Schween had the procedure done at Banner Baywood. After several weeks of recovery, he feels better and would recommend that men seriously look into Aquablation as an option.
Dr. Mehan said, “We’re just really grateful that we could partner with Banner (Health) and bring this technology to the area. I’m really proud to say we’re the first in this region to offer Aquablation to men.”
Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country. The system owns and operates 30 acute-care hospitals, Banner Health Network, Banner – University Medicine, academic and employed physician groups, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of other services; including Banner Urgent Care, family clinics, home care and hospice services, pharmacies and a nursing registry. Banner Health is in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com.
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