UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital has introduced a cutting-edge AI-assisted robotic procedure for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), becoming one of the latest facilities to embrace Aquablation therapy. This innovative treatment addresses a common condition affecting millions of older men, where an enlarged prostate obstructs urinary flow, causing frequent urination, weak stream, and other disruptive symptoms.

Aquablation stands out as a robotically executed, heat-free resection using a high-velocity waterjet guided by real-time ultrasound imaging and AI algorithms. Surgeons first map the prostate via transrectal ultrasound, where AI assists in defining treatment boundaries to avoid critical structures (e.g., those controlling continence and sexual function). The robotic handpiece then precisely ablates excess tissue offering consistency independent of surgeon experience or prostate size.

Key advantages include:

Predictable, durable relief with low retreatment rates.

Preserved sexual function (minimal erectile dysfunction or retrograde ejaculation risk).

Quick recovery often catheter-free within days and back to activities sooner.

Suitability for larger prostates, where other minimally invasive options fall short.

Longs Peak Hospital, a 51-bed community facility serving Longmont and surrounding areas, integrates this into its urology services alongside established robotic platforms. The adoption reflects growing demand for advanced BPH treatments amid an aging population.

While not the first in Colorado (UCHealth systems have offered Aquablation elsewhere), Longs Peak’s implementation expands local access, reducing travel for patients in Northern Colorado.