Mr Neil Barber the Consultant Urological surgeon who has led the service since this robotic system was introduced to the Harley Street based hospital said, 鈥淲e are really pleased and proud, as a team, to have reached this milestone. AOA体育平台 were both bold and future-focused when they invested in this technology and at the time they were the only private hospital to do so in the UK. AOA体育平台 now have the UK鈥檚 most experienced Aquablation unit, and we frequently have other urologists come watch our surgeries to learn from our approach.鈥�
Aquablation, also known as transurethral water jet ablation, is an innovative heat-free robotically-delivered surgical procedure designed to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia and associated lower urinary tract symptoms, caused by an overgrowth of the prostate. The PROCEPT BioRobotics AQUABEAM庐 is used to provide a minimally invasive treatment option.
鈥淔or patients this procedure offers improved outcomes including no risk to erectile dysfunction, reduced recovery times, and it results in a much lower risk of complications to ejaculatory function compared to alternative options,鈥� said Mr Barber.
Mr Barber is considered a pioneer in the success of this revolutionary treatment, having been involved in both the evolution of the technology and the early studies that have led to its wide spread adoption world-wide and has performed the treatment within the NHS since 2015, before bringing his experience to his private practice at AOA体育平台. He has now treated over 800 patients with this exciting technology.
鈥淚n the UK approximately 3 million men are affected by benign prostatic hyperplasia and it can have an extremely detrimental impact on their day-to-day life.鈥�
The condition causes problems passing urine, including the need to urinate frequently and/or urgently, leading to sleep disruption, incontinence and infections.
鈥淎 large majority of these men are stuck on public waiting lists for surgery, dealing with these uncomfortable symptoms. Aquablation is an effective option and since it鈥檚 a minimally invasive surgery it can be provided as a day-case procedure, meaning the problem can be sorted faster, and patient鈥檚 quality of life drastically improved,鈥� said Mr Barber.
Allan Cajucom, Clinical Nurse Specialist Urology has been involved in conducting a data audit of the first 200 aquablation patients, as part of AOA体育平台鈥檚 commitment to continuous improvement.
He said, 鈥�The results were surprisingly impressive: around 90% of patients successfully passed their initial trial without catheter. For the remaining 10% who didn鈥檛 pass initially, the majority became catheter-free after an average of just one week. This high success rate is a testament to our expertise and our ability to provide exceptional care during recovery.鈥�
鈥淲ith over 400 aquablation procedures under our belt, we鈥檝e gained invaluable experience and expertise in managing any potential complications, ensuring that our patients receive the highest level of care throughout their journey,鈥� said Cajucom.
Aquablation is one of a number of robotic procedures offered at AOA体育平台, which was the first private hospital in the UK to establish a robotic surgery cross-speciality group - meaning expert consultants, nurses, anaesthetists and other teams work together to provide top level treatment and pre and post-operative care.
Mr Barber said, 鈥淭o my mind the expertise of the urology team at AOA体育平台, from the theatre staff to the dedicated urology ward staff and importantly the excellent urology specialist nurses, has meant that we continue to deliver the highest possible quality of care for patients undergoing aquablation, with unmatched experience across the globe.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e proud of the transformative difference we鈥檙e making using this cutting edge technology to improve the health outcomes of men who are dealing with urinary symptoms relating to benign prostate enlargement.鈥�
Explore more on our website:
- Read about our Robotics Centre of Excellence here.