Benefits seen for retrograde ejaculation, urinary incontinence, with overall symptom relief and safety similar to that seen with laser surgery
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, March 25, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The Aquablation water-based surgical procedure is safe and effective for use with enlarged prostates compared with laser surgery, according to a study presented at the 40th annual European Association of Urology Congress, held from March 21 to 24 in Madrid.
Manuel Ritter, M.D., from University Hospital Bonn in Germany, and colleagues analyzed men with enlarged prostates (80 to 180 mL) who required surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); 98 patients were assigned to undergo Aquablation therapy and 88 were assigned to undergo either Holmium laser prostate surgery or Thulium laser enucleation of the prostate.
At three months of follow-up, the researchers found that of the 89 men in the trial who were sexually active, retrograde ejaculation was experienced by 15 percent of the Aquablation group versus 77 percent of the laser surgery group. Similarly, urinary incontinence favored the Aquablation group (9 versus 20 percent). However, overall, symptom score improvements were similar between the treatment groups. Adverse events also were similar across both groups.
“Our study shows significant promise for Aquablation therapy as an alternative to laser-based treatments for men with larger prostates with BPH,” Ritter said in a statement. “Many men accept their symptoms as a normal part of aging, but after surgery, these patients are very happy to get rid of their medication and symptoms.”
The trial was funded by Aquablation therapy developer PROCEPT BioRobotics.
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