Exciting New Prostate Treatment Hits Horry County
In Horry County, South Carolina, there’s some exciting news emerging from McLeod Regional Medical Center. This facility is leading the way as the first hospital in the state to offer an advanced procedure to help patients dealing with enlarged prostates—something that can be quite uncomfortable and potentially serious if not addressed properly.
What is Aquablation Therapy?
This innovative treatment, known as aquablation therapy, is designed to tackle lower urinary tract issues that stem from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Now, while it’s important to note that BPH is non-cancerous, if left untreated, it can lead to some pretty serious complications, like permanent damage to the bladder or kidneys, along with the potential for bladder stones and incontinence.
A Unique, Minimally-Invasive Approach
Dr. Ronald Glinski, a urologist at McLeod, shared his enthusiasm about being a pioneer in offering this treatment. “It’s an honor, to some extent,” he said, adding that it feels rewarding to be the first to provide this solution to local patients. The best part? They can gain valuable experience earlier, which means they can become experts for future cases.
So how does aquablation therapy work? It’s a robotic procedure that utilizes a high-pressure water stream. This allows doctors to carve out a specific channel in the prostate, providing relief without the usual complications. Dr. Glinski explained that they can map out the precise channel to be removed, enhancing the flow in a way that traditional treatments may not.
Impressive Results and Fewer Side Effects
The results of aquablation therapy are quite promising. After just one treatment, an astounding 94% of patients have reported such significant improvements that they haven’t needed a follow-up treatment for five years. Once again, that’s a solid success rate! In contrast, only about 1.2% of men faced the need for a second procedure.
When compared to the older method, the transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), aquablation appears to come out ahead as well. While TURP was mostly effective, it often came with side effects that could affect sexual health, like impotence and retrograde ejaculation. However, Dr. Glinski pointed out that early results from aquablation show a much lower risk of these unwanted side effects, with retrograde ejaculation occurring in only about 11% of cases and impotence and incontinence dropping close to zero!
The Future of Prostate Health with Advancements in Technology
McLeod’s advances don’t stop here. Recently, the hospital has been eyeing a new, sophisticated AI-generated robotic system that could address prostate issues beyond BPH. Dr. Glinski highlighted how technology continues to evolve, enhancing the care he can provide to his patients. “Urology is one of the most satisfying career choices in medicine,” he noted, “because these are very common problems for people, and they have, in many circumstances, very high success rates compared to other types of treatments for other disease processes.”
Spreading the Word
As more hospitals in Charleston and Myrtle Beach begin investing in the aquablation machine, it’s clear that this revolutionary technique will soon be available to an even wider audience. Patients who have been struggling with the discomfort of an enlarged prostate may now have more options and less anxiety about the road to recovery.
Overall, this is a hopeful time for many in the region seeking effective and safer treatments for prostate health. With cutting-edge technology and skilled professionals like those at McLeod Regional Medical Center, patients can feel optimistic about their journey toward better health.
