Lakewood Ranch Medical Center is spending roughly $500,000 on a new robotic system for treating enlarged prostates. The purchase is the hospital's latest urology investment in a department that has drawn more than $1 million in technology upgrades this year.

The Hydros Robotic System, built by Procept BioRobotics, delivers what the hospital calls Aquablation therapy. The procedure uses a heat-free waterjet guided by real-time ultrasound imaging to remove prostate tissue that causes urinary symptoms in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH.

How the AI-Guided Procedure Works

BPH is the most common prostate disease, affecting roughly 40 million men in the United States, according to Procept BioRobotics. The manufacturer says the Hydros is the only robotic platform powered by artificial intelligence, or AI, that delivers Aquablation therapy.

The system uses AI-interpreted ultrasound imaging and treatment planning software to help surgeons tailor the procedure to each patient's anatomy, according to the manufacturer.

Hospital Leader Points to Broader Tech Push

Jason Madsen, the hospital's chief executive officer, said in a press release that the system "reflects our commitment to continually expanding access to innovative technologies that improve the lives of our patients." He called Aquablation a proven, minimally invasive option for BPH that can provide lasting symptom relief.

Madsen has signaled the urology push since at least July. In a July 30 interview with Your Observer, he said the hospital was adding $1 million in surgical technology to its urology department. "We want to excel in advanced technology," Madsen said at the time. "We want those in our community to avoid heavy recovery time."

The relationship between the two figures is unclear. Available records do not confirm whether the $500,000 Hydros purchase falls within that $1 million or represents a separate investment.

Robotic Fleet Keeps Growing at the Hospital

The Hydros system joins a growing roster of robotic platforms at the hospital. Lakewood Ranch Medical Center added a da Vinci 5 Surgical System in August, its third da Vinci robotic surgery platform since the first arrived in November 2019, as Your Observer reported Sept. 2.

Parent company Universal Health Services opened a $120 million, five-story tower in April that expanded the hospital's bed count from 120 to 180.

Timeline for Patients Remains Unannounced

The hospital has not announced when patients can begin scheduling Aquablation procedures or named the urologists who will operate the new system.