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Courtesy Procept BioRobotics
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Aquablation 2; Courtesy Procept BioRobotics
Older guys up at all hours for bathroom trips because of prostate woes may soon have another option for relief.
There’s a trial underway of a procedure that uses pressurized water to remove prostate tissue that may be blocking urine flow in men with BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia, according to Eugene Kramolowsky of Virginia Urology, who is participating in the national trial with a team at Retreat Doctors' Hospital.
Using water instead of traditional methods, which rely on burning tissue, may lead to a quicker recovery and fewer side effects.
The prostate usually enlarges in men as they age, and that can lead to BPH, in which the prostate puts pressure on the urethra, leading to urination problems. Traditional surgical options generally involve heat to burn away prostate tissue, either with an electrical wire loop or, more recently, with a laser; but the trials concern a procedure that uses pressurized water to remove tissue, according to Kramolowsky.
He’s testing a procedure called aquablation therapy, which uses room-temperature water to remove tissue and eliminate the blockage. He tells patients it’s sort of like a power wash of the prostate.
The procedure is done while the patient is sedated with spinal anesthesia.
A robotic device controls the water pressure, and ultrasound is used to give the surgeon a real-time view of the area being worked on, the tissue and the device itself. A light pen is used to highlight the tissue to be removed, then the tissue is hit with the pressurized water, which is sucked out through the bladder. Bleeding is controlled through use of a balloon that puts pressure on the prostate.
“It does an amazing job of controlling the bleeding,” says Kramolowsky. He cites other advantages, including faster healing and less damage.
The procedure takes about 10 minutes, and patients afterward stay overnight at the hospital. They’ve done about six at Retreat. The study nationally will enroll 100 overall; about 50 procedures have been done so far.
The study involves men with especially large prostates,, says Kramolowsky. The hospital is working with the California-based robotic company Procept BioRobotics in the trial, and has not made a purchase of the equipment. “This was something that came along that looked like it would benefit the patients,” says Kramolowsky.
HEALTHY DEVELOPMENTS
A roundup of the week’s health and medicine news
- Three facilities earned high marks in metro Richmond in a survey of nursing homes released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report. The facilities are: Westminster Canterbury of Richmond, which earned five of five stars; Lakewood Manor, which received 4.8 stars; and Henrico Health & Rehabilitation Center in Highland Springs, which earned 4.6 stars. Facilities are rated on factors including health inspections and complaints, staffing, medical care quality and fire safety. The reports note the overall score and also whether a facility has been fined or denied payment in the past three years. About 15,000 facilities were assessed nationally, and about 2,300 earned Best Nursing Home distinction, according to a release.
- The Obamacare sign-up period is underway and continues through Dec. 15. Much of metro Richmond is served by only one provider, Cigna. For its Silver plan, Cigna Connect 6500, a couple, say a man age 35 and a woman age 33 with an adjusted household income of $45,000, would receive a $580 credit each month and would pay $250.73 in monthly premiums. The couple would pay $830.43 each month for the plan without the subsidy. Coverage for a 61-year-old male who doesn’t qualify for a subsidy would cost $964.26 for the silver policy.
- Seven metro Richmond hospitals earned A’s in Hospital Safety Scores from The Leapfrog Group. Recipient of A’s are John Randolph Medical Center, Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital, Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, Memorial Regional Hospital, Johnston-Willis Hospital, St. Francis Medical Center and Parham Doctor’s Hospital. Facilities earning B’s include VCU Health, Retreat Doctors’ Hospital and Chippenham Hospital. Southside Regional Medical Center received a C. The facilities were assigned grades based on patient safety factors including occurrences of a variety of infections, practices in place to prevent errors, surgical problems, and staff training, communication and staffing levels.
- Learn more about lung cancer in a panel discussion set for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, 1602 Skipwith Road. The event will feature physicians including Laurie Cuttino, Brian Mitchell, Kenneth Haft and Graham Bundy. A lung cancer survivor also will present their story. The event is part of the national annual Shine a Light on Lung Cancer observance.
- A rise in the preterm birth rate from 9.6 percent to 9.8 percent resulted in a grade of "C" being bestowed upon the nation in the March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card. In state rankings, Virginia earned a "C" for a preterm birth rate of 9.6 percent. The March of Dimes says that preterm-birth babies are at greater risk of facing chronic disabilities and health conditions and of dying before their first birthday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the preterm birth rate declined from 2007-14, but has risen each year since. The preterm birth rate for black women is about 50 percent higher than the rate for white women.
