One in two men between the ages of 51 and 60 will develop an enlarged prostate. Almost all of them — 99 percent, according to industry data — say it meaningfully diminishes their quality of life.
And yet, according to Dr. Richard Ioffreda, a urologist at Saint Peter’s University Hospital, many of those men delay treatment anyway.
“Many patients delay treatment because they are worried about the potential impact on their sexual or urinary function,” he said.
Saint Peter’s is betting that a new piece of technology can change that calculation.
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The hospital recently launched the HYDROS Robotic System, an AI-powered platform that performs a procedure called Aquablation therapy — a minimally invasive treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, the clinical name for an enlarged prostate. Saint Peter’s is among the first hospitals in the state to offer it.
BPH develops when the prostate gland, which surrounds the urethra, grows large enough to press against the urinary tract. The symptoms are the kind men often live with quietly for years: a frequent or urgent need to urinate, repeated trips to the bathroom overnight, trouble starting or maintaining a steady stream. Left untreated, it can progress to bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones, and chronic incontinence.
For decades, surgical treatment for BPH came with real tradeoffs — effective relief, but a meaningful risk to long-term sexual function and urinary continence. That tradeoff is exactly what kept many men from seeking treatment in the first place.
Aquablation works differently. Instead of heat-based tools like lasers or cautery, it uses a heat-free waterjet, guided by real-time imaging and the HYDROS system’s AI, to remove only the excess tissue causing the blockage.
Dr. Akwasi Boateng, a urologist at Saint Peter’s, explained how the system works.
“Aquablation is a minimally invasive surgical option that uses real-time imaging and an artificial intelligence robotic system,” he said. “The HYDROS Robotic System allows the surgeon to tailor treatment to each patient’s unique anatomy while minimizing total surgery time and the risk of complications.”
Dr. Ramon Rodriguez, also a urologist at Saint Peter’s, said the procedure itself is performed in a hospital setting under anesthesia and typically takes about an hour, with most patients staying overnight for monitoring. Patients usually wake up with a temporary catheter while the area heals; some burning, urgency, or blood in the urine is normal for a few weeks afterward and typically resolves on its own or with medication.
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The data behind the procedure isn’t new.
Aquablation has five years of clinical evidence behind it. What’s new is the level of precision the AI-guided system brings to each individual case — and the fact that it’s now available locally.
It’s no surprise that Saint Peter’s is leading the way.
Saint Peter’s recently was named one of Healthgrades’ 50 Best Hospitals for Outpatient Prostate Care for 2026, with the recognition specifically citing its outcomes in BPH treatment.
For Ioffreda, the point isn’t just the technology. It’s getting men to stop waiting.
“We understand that BPH can deeply affect a person’s daily life by interfering with sleep, work, and personal comfort,” he said. “Aquablation therapy gives us a way to treat BPH with precision and care, while helping to preserve the quality of life that matters most to our patients.”
For information about Saint Peter’s University Hospital, go to
saintpetershcs.com/.
