Posted , 16 users are following.
Has anyone heard of the Aquablation procedure for BPH? It looks like a newer treatment with using water (but not like Rezum) and robotics to do the procedure. One of the comments mentioned is being able to treat larger prostrates; 80 to 100
0 likes, 30 replies
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oldbuzzard lance42085
Posted
I would recommend against Button TURP and Aquablation. The latter is essntially performing TURP but with water instead of a knife. Both have long recoveries and both are probably overkill for what you need.
Plenty of doctors do Rezum on prostates as large as yours and for the most part, it works well, although generally, the big ones take longer for the full effect.
While most people end up OK with Button TURP, its a surgery, with anesthesia, all of the attendant risks and log recovery that even when things turn out well, often includes a period of 1-3 months of incontinence. My guess is that in over 90% of cases, Ruzum on big prostates works fine. As for Aquablation, it will probably replace TURP - the potential long term problems are much lower, bu tthe recovery is just as long. And its still in the experimental stage.
If you get Rezum and it doesn't work, it doesn't preclude anything else - I would find a doc that does it on larger prostates.
And ignore the outside/inside stuff on flow and trips to the bathroom. BPH is caused by an enlarged prostate blocking your flow. Open that up and you get relief - however they do it.
gene97713 oldbuzzard
Posted
I agree with everything lance said but because you are looking for something that is not covered by your insurance, I would recommend to look int PerFected PAE. It might cost you $6500-7000 out of pocket but has much less rsik of side effects and recovery time, althoug the longevity is not guaranteed, but so is TURP and RESUM.
You can do it cheaper in Portugal and Brasil, but after the trip cost and hotel stay it boils down to the samy amount of money. There are a few centers in LA, NY adn NC that perfor PAE and even try to prequalify it with your insurance.
dl0808 oldbuzzard
Posted
turp and aquablation have many differences and the result is different as well.
hank1953 gene97713
Posted
Gene, did Medicare finally take care of your PAE bill ? Hank
oldbuzzard dl0808
Posted
dl0808 - I disagree. They do pretty much the same thing via different techniques. The side effect profile is much better with Aquablation, but the end result and recovery time are similar. Some say Aquablation might take longer to recover from than TURP
dl0808 oldbuzzard
Posted
perhaps, i am wrong. my understanding is button plasma turp uses plasma to ablate the tissue in saline solution whereas regular turp uses electrical current in water, the latter is more dangerous.
it is news to me that aquablation is or will be replacing turp.
dl0808 oldbuzzard
Posted
have time to explain which part of what i said u disagree? mind u, i am no expert on this subject. i learned from the internet.
oldbuzzard dl0808
Posted
You should absolutely believe everything you read on the Interen
gene97713 dl0808
Posted
Well, First of all Aquablation is absolutely new and is hardly covered by any insurance. It;s not FDA approved yet, only in clinical studies. Secondary, it's superior to TYPRP because uses heat and fluids that can result in poissonning and even renal failure due to the TURP syndrome. TURP takes much more tim eon larfer prostates, which makes it dangerous due to other intra and pos-operative failrues. Aquablation is very effective in cutting and removing the tissue similar to HoLEP, and uses saline. The whole surgery, even for the larger prostates can be accomplished in 5 minutes. Using Robotics and direct observation allows for better preservation of ejaculatory function oin the hands of a very skillful surgeon. Postoperative effects, hospitalization, and as a rule 3 month of incontinence are pretty much the same with some advantages of aquablation. Both are highly invasive and hardly much different from SRP or open surgery, but reuire less stay in teh hospital 2.4 days vs 7 days. For obvious reason, insurance prefer this so called"golden standards" of treatment despite more frequent sexual side effects.
Sexual health is not covered by any insurance, except Tricare, which covers even dental implants. We have take care of our veterans.
dl0808 gene97713
Posted
hi gene,
nice to hear from u on this subject. escaping ur notice, aquablation was approved like 10 months ago. oddly BCBS covers it. i agree with u on the rest of what u said. thpse info should be helpful to readers.
dl0808 oldbuzzard
Posted
briefly, i was allowed to use the internet of a local college library.
perhaps, between the two of us plus members of this forum, we could find out what we want to known about aquablation.
john53959 lance42085
Posted
Lance (42085),I just found out about this....of all the procedures I have studied on this site, this appears
at face value to most promising. This report looks good. It appears to have been around for 3 maybe 5 years. It's company in down in Silicon Valley south of San Francisco. Found this doing a search on AquaBlation.
Link: https://www.renalandurologynews.com/benign-prostatic-hyperplasia-bph/aquablation-may-relieve-bph-symptoms/article/456409/
kenneth1955 john53959
Posted
Good morning
Yes they have been doing trail on this for years. It is a Turp done with water less bleeding. The main doctor that was doing it was Mr. Neil Barber from the UK. They have had good results with it and retro was only about 3 %
They just opened a Aquablation Center in New York. I do have the name of the doctor and his number. If anyone is interested just PM me.
But with any procedure you have to do your research. Ken