Providence Mission Hospital is the First in Orange County to Offer Aquablation Therapy, a New, Robotic Treatment for Enlarged Prostate

Left to right: Michelle Azling, surgical technician coordinator; Dr. James Meaglia; Jim Antonowitsch; and Kristy Sweetman-Peterson, clinical coordinator

MISSION VIEJO (November 4, 2021) – On November 2, 2021, Providence Mission Hospital urologist Dr. James Meaglia performed the first Aquablation procedure in Orange County, a minimally invasive treatment for patients with enlarged prostates. Providence Mission is not only the first hospital in the county to acquire the AquaBeam Robotic System, but it is also the first in the entire Providence health system.

An enlarged prostate is a non-cancerous condition where the prostate has grown to be larger than normal. One in two men between the ages of 51 and 60 have an enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

According to Dr. Meaglia, if left untreated, BPH can cause significant health problems, including irreversible bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones, and incontinence. “That’s why my colleagues and I are so thrilled to bring this revolutionary robotic technology to the region.”

Aquablation is an advanced, minimally invasive treatment that uses the power of water delivered with robotic precision to provide best-in-class, long-lasting symptom relief. The heat-free waterjet technology ablates, or removes, prostate tissue in a precise, targeted and controlled fashion with very low complications rates, regardless of prostate size or shape.

“I am pleased to partner with Dr. James Meaglia, Dr. Josh Randall and Providence Mission Hospital to introduce this superior technology to the Orange County community,” shares urologist Dr. Karan Singh. “Many men are struggling with symptoms of BPH and it is really rewarding to bring them relief.”

Thanks to the generosity of the Antonowitsch family, Providence Mission Hospital was able to acquire the Aquablation technology. In fact, it is because of the strong philanthropic support in the community that Providence Mission has such an impressive array of robotic technology.

The vast list of robotics includes two Intuitive da Vinci Xi’s for general surgery and oncology, the Stereotaxis for cardiovascular catheter ablation, the Medtronics MAZOR for spine, the Zimmer ROSA for orthopedic knee replacement, the Smith and Nephew CORI for orthopedics, the Joimax TESSYS, the SAVI SCOUT, and the Auris Health Monarch Platform. This premier collection of robotics demonstrates Providence Mission Hospital’s commitment to elevating patient care for its South Orange County neighbors.

You can learn more about Providence Mission Hospital here: https://www.providence.org/locations/mission-hospital-mission-viejo.

For more information on Aquablation therapy, visit aquablation.com.

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About Providence Mission Hospital
Providence Mission Hospital is a state-of-the art, 504-bed acute care regional medical center in Mission Viejo, California. As one of the busiest designated adult and pediatric Level II Trauma Centers in the state of California, Providence Mission provides a full range of reputable specialty health care services with highly skilled teams treating a multitude of complex conditions. Services include a full range of expertise in cardiovascular, neuroscience and spine, orthopedics, cancer care, women’s services, mental health and wellness, head and neck, and a variety of other specialty services.

Providence Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach provides South Orange County coastal communities with 24-hour emergency and intensive care as well as medical-surgical/telemetry services, orthopedics, general and GI surgery. CHOC at Providence Mission Hospital is a 54-bed facility that is the area’s only dedicated pediatric hospital.

Fully accredited by The Joint Commission and designated as a Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for nursing excellence, Providence Mission Hospital is highly recognized for its high quality of care, evidenced through a multitude of healthcare quality benchmarks.