Aquablation Therapy in Boulder County: BPH Treatment, Benefits, and Recovery

Getting up several times each night. Planning road trips around restroom stops. Passing on a long hike or bike ride because you’re worried about finding a bathroom.

For men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an enlarged prostate, urinary symptoms can gradually reshape daily life. Aquablation® therapy offers a minimally invasive surgical option for lasting symptom relief while helping preserve urinary and sexual function.

Aquablation uses ultrasound-guided, robotically controlled, heat-free waterjet technology to remove prostate tissue blocking urine flow. The procedure is performed through the urethra, without external incisions, and treatment is tailored to each patient’s anatomy.

At Boulder Medical Center, board-certified urologists Stephen Siegel, MD, and Tomy Perez, MD, help men determine whether Aquablation fits their symptoms, health, and treatment goals. BMC Urology offers evaluations in Boulder and Louisville for men throughout Boulder County and surrounding communities.

How Does Aquablation Work?

Aquablation combines a surgeon-created, personalized treatment plan with precise, robotically controlled tissue removal.

The procedure involves three steps:

• Map the prostate. Ultrasound imaging and a small camera help the surgeon assess the prostate and identify tissue contributing to urinary obstruction.
• Personalize the treatment plan. The surgeon identifies the tissue to remove and the surrounding structures to preserve, including areas important to urinary control and sexual function.
• Remove obstructing tissue. A robotically controlled, heat-free waterjet follows the treatment plan under the surgeon’s supervision.

Drs. Siegel and Perez perform Aquablation using the HYDROS™ Robotic System, which combines advanced imaging with AI-assisted treatment planning. The surgeon directs and approves the plan, using the technology to support treatment tailored to each patient’s anatomy.

Aquablation requires anesthesia. Although the tissue-removal waterjet is heat-free, the procedure may use additional techniques to control bleeding.

Who May Benefit From Aquablation?

Aquablation may be an option for men whose enlarged prostate causes bothersome urinary symptoms, such as:

• Frequent urination
• Waking repeatedly at night to urinate
• A weak or interrupted urine stream
• Difficulty starting urination
• Sudden urinary urgency
• Feeling that the bladder does not empty completely

Aquablation can treat a broad range of prostate sizes and shapes, including larger prostates. Your urologist will consider your prostate anatomy, bladder function, medical history, medications, and overall health when determining whether it is appropriate.

What Are the Benefits of Aquablation?

Aquablation is designed to relieve urinary obstruction while helping protect structures involved in urinary and sexual function. Potential benefits include:

• Long-lasting symptom relief: Removing obstructing prostate tissue can improve urine flow and reduce bothersome urinary symptoms.
• Preservation of sexual function: Personalized treatment planning helps protect areas involved in sexual function, including ejaculation.
• Treatment tailored to your prostate: Imaging guides the surgeon’s plan based on your individual anatomy.
• An alternative to ongoing BPH medication: Some men may be able to reduce or stop BPH medication after successful treatment, under their urologist’s guidance.
• No external incisions: The procedure reaches the prostate through the urethra.
• The right treatment depends on your symptoms, health, and preferences, as well as the benefits and risks of each option.

How Effective Is Aquablation?

Clinical research supports Aquablation’s ability to provide durable relief from BPH symptoms.

Five-year follow-up from the WATER and WATER II studies found sustained improvements in urinary symptoms and urine flow in men with prostate volumes ranging from 30 to 150 mL. At five years, 95% of patients in WATER and 97% in WATER II remained free from additional BPH surgery.

These findings support the long-term effectiveness of treatment, although individual results vary.

What Are the Potential Side Effects?

Preserving urinary and sexual function is an important part of Aquablation treatment planning. Research comparing Aquablation with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) has found a lower rate of ejaculation problems with Aquablation.

However, side effects are possible. Risks include bleeding, infection, difficulty emptying the bladder, urethral scarring, incontinence, and changes in ejaculation or erectile function.

Your urologist will explain the potential benefits and risks in the context of your health, anatomy, and treatment goals.

What Is Recovery After Aquablation Like?

Many patients go home the same day or after an overnight hospital stay. After treatment, a urinary catheter is placed to drain the bladder. Some patients go home with the catheter temporarily; its removal depends on recovery and the surgeon’s assessment.

During healing, patients may experience:

• Burning with urination
• Urinary urgency or frequency
• Blood in the urine
• Mild pelvic discomfort

Some urinary symptoms can continue for several weeks as the area heals. Your care team will provide instructions for catheter care, follow-up, and returning to work, exercise, lifting, cycling, and sexual activity.

Recovery varies. Feeling ready for light daily activities does not necessarily mean you are ready for strenuous exercise.

Do You Have to Wait Until BPH Symptoms Become Severe?

You do not have to wait until urinary symptoms significantly limit your life, or until medication stops working, to talk with a urologist.

An evaluation can help determine what is causing your symptoms and establish a baseline for monitoring changes. It also allows you to compare treatment options, including monitoring, medication, Aquablation, and other procedures.

Discussing your options early gives you time to make an informed decision based on your symptoms, health, and priorities.

Experienced Aquablation Providers at Boulder Medical Center

Stephen Siegel, MD, and Tomy Perez, MD, have performed more than 500 Aquablation procedures combined, placing them among the nation’s most experienced Aquablation providers.

Both point to the positive impact they see in patients following treatment.

“Aquablation is one of the most gratifying procedures I perform,” says Dr. Siegel. “Men come back to my clinic genuinely happy with the results.”

“Many men don’t realize how much they’ve adapted their lives around urinary symptoms until those symptoms are gone,” says Dr. Perez. “It’s incredibly satisfying to see patients get back to the activities that matter most to them.”

Let’s Talk About Aquablation

If urinary symptoms interrupt your sleep or keep you from activities you enjoy, BMC Urology can help you explore your options.

To schedule a BPH evaluation and discuss Aquablation therapy, call (303) 440-3093 or visit BMC Urology for appointment information in Boulder and Louisville, Colorado.