24-06-2025
Cork medical firm Healthcare 21 set to introduce new procedure to treat enlarged prostate
An innovative robotic procedure for treating men with enlarged prostates will be made available to patients in Ireland through Cork medical company Healthcare 21.
Healthcare 21 which is headquartered in Blarney in Co Cork employs 340 people in Ireland and is partnering with Procept BioRobotics to bring the new treatment to Ireland. The aquablation therapy is a robotically assisted, minimally invasive procedure which uses a high-speed water jet to precisely remove prostate tissue and treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), commonly referred to as an enlarged prostate, which affects half of men aged 51 to 60 in Ireland.
The new treatment is being offered at Ulster Hospital in Belfast, with Healthcare 21 introducing the technology to the South.
The Blarney-headquartered healthcare solutions firm is believed to be in discussion with a number of private hospitals in the south to roll out the technology to patients in the Republic of Ireland.
"By leveraging innovative treatments like Aquablation therapy, we can help alleviate long waiting lists in a healthcare sector experiencing unprecedented demand," said Jackie Knox, business manager of Healthcare 21. "This minimally invasive procedure doubles the efficiency of the surgical team, allowing more patients to be treated in a single theatre list. Additionally, it enables 90% of patients to be discharged the same day, reducing the need for elective beds.
"We are thrilled to collaborate closely with Ulster Hospital, enabling surgeons to manage complex anatomy and larger prostates, thereby allowing senior surgeons to focus on other procedures. Establishing the robotic procedure in Belfast will provide access for other hospitals to use Belfast as a robotic centre, helping to reduce backlogs in the surrounding region."
