Gold-standard prostate surgery now available in Sandwell and Birmingham
An innovative treatment for enlarged prostates is now being offered to NHS patients in Sandwell and West Birmingham for the first time with improved recovery times and long-term benefits.
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Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate, or HoLEP, is a minimally invasive procedure performed under general anaesthetic and involves using a laser to remove parts of the prostate.
It is now being performed by urologists at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.
Patients who undergo HoLEP will spend less time recovering in hospital and will need to wear a catheter for a shorter amount of time than those who undergo a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).
There is also a lower risk of complications with HoLEP, as there is less bleeding than TURP surgery and therefore a reduced chance of the patient requiring a blood transfusion.
One of the first procedures took place earlier this year, on 71-year-old Graham Davis, from Smethwick.
He said: “I spoke to my consultant about the options for my enlarged prostate and was keen to have surgery, so I wasn’t nervous about having a new procedure at all.
“I’m still continuing with my pelvic floor exercises, but since the surgery I get up a lot less in the middle of the night to use to bathroom, which I’m happy about.”
Consultant urologists Mr Fahd Khan and Ananda Dhanasekaran have now performed over fifteen HoLEP procedures, under the mentorship of Mr Farooq Khan, a consultant urologist in the NHS who specialises in laser prostate surgery.
Mr Fahd Khan, who helped establish the HoLEP service at the Trust said: “Lots of men over the age of 50 will have problems with an enlarged prostate which can reduce their quality of life in many ways.
“I am very pleased that we can now offer this treatment to them, which will help them to recover faster and reduce any chance of needing more surgery in the future.
“There is also no limitation on the size of the prostate we can operate on using HoLEP, which means we can help treat even more men with this common issue.”
The recovery time from a HoLEP procedure is typically 4-6 weeks. During this time, patients are advised to continue with pelvic floor exercises to strengthen urinary control and help resolve symptoms of an overactive bladder.
