Memorial Health will be purchasing a new device which promises better results in the treatment of enlarged prostate.
On Thursday night, Memorial’s Board of Trustees approved the purchase of the Aquabeam Robotic System for $478,000 for the urology department.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as an enlarged prostate, affects as many as 14 million men in the United States annually. The prostate, a gland that produces semen, is located just below the bladder and grows over time.
One-third of men older than 50, and 90% of men over 85, exhibit symptoms of BPH.
An enlarged prostate can block the flow of urine from the bladder as well as causing other issues within the bladder, urinary tract or kidneys.
Frequent signs of BPH include frequent or urgent need to urinate, issues with the urine stream and less frequent issues such as urinary tract infections and blood in the urine.
According to Memorial’s Dr. Michael Jordan the Aquabeam Robotic System will offer more consistent outcomes from treatment. He said the system allows for better visualization of the tissue that needs to be removed in real time, rather than using ultra-sound to image the impacted area.
Rather than a traditional removal procedure that introduces heat to the area, the device uses a heat-free waterjet to precisely and rapidly remove targeted prostate tissue.
Procedures using the Aquabeam reportedly need a shorter recovery time compared to more traditional measures. The measure can be considered an outpatient procedure, though it does require an overnight stay for observation according to the Saint John’s Cancer Institute.
The procedure reportedly alleviates the symptoms of BPH without impacting the patient’s quality of life, preserving anatomical structures and allowing men to retain sexual function.
Benefits of the procedure can last 10-15 years.
In other business, the board approved reappointments and new appointments to the Memorial Health Foundation, the fundraising arm of the healthcare organization.
New members appointed to three-year terms are Megan McCarthy Collins, Dr. Jeff Moore, Sarah Gerard Seeberg and Dr. Victor Trianfo. Reappointed members were David Goins, David Laslow, Jon Feller, Craig Baker, Anthony Smith, Dr. Laura Sorg, Curtis Thompson and Dr. Thomas Truitt.