New AI-powered prostate treatment helps Mars resident reclaim his quality of life
For Ron Schwenke, the debilitating effects of an enlarged prostate became a distressing burden on his everyday life.
“It got really bad last year,” he said. “It got to the point where I could not urinate, and as such, I ended up in the hospital. They put me on some various medicines, but that didn’t work at all.”
That was until the 69-year-old Mars resident underwent Aquablation therapy through the HYDROS Robotic System, the first AI-powered technology that is specifically designed to treat enlarged prostates.
“It is probably the smartest thing I have ever done in my life,” said Schwenke, who grew up in Callery and graduated from Mars High School. “Obviously, they put me under but it was what I would consider noninvasive. The recovery time was also just a one-night stay in the hospital.”
Allegheny Health Network is the first health system in Western Pennsylvania to offer the kind of treatment that effectively changed Schwenke’s life, according to an AHN news release.
Through a precise, image-guided, robotic procedure, Aquablation therapy removes obstructive prostate tissue without compromising any significant sexual functions, according to Dr. Cameron Jones, a urologist at AHN.
“The thing that makes it really powerful is that we can use it for really big prostates that before we would’ve needed to perform major abdominal surgery,” he said.
While more traditional options like laser therapy or prostate surgery have existed for decades, the new technology has simplified the treatment process for doctors and patients alike, according to the news release.
“The beauty of Aquablation is it’s a very fast, efficient and reproducible way to treat men with prostates of all sizes,” Jones said. “The recovery is really minimal and it’s not a major operation. It’s all through the urethra tube with no cuts on the outside of the body at all.”
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, or an enlarged prostate, affects about 40 million men across the country, according to an AHN news release.
It can lead to a variety of issues, including difficulty urinating or fully emptying the bladder, urinary tract infections, bladder or kidney stones, and even irreversible damage to organs.
Schwenke learned of the new treatment earlier this year and had the procedure March 6. Since then, he hasn’t needed to take any medication for his prostate and has continued to pursue his favorite outdoor activities without any restrictions.
“I’ve not only increased the longevity of my life, but I really think that it has added a lot of quality to it,” Schwenke said.
