As men up and down the country forgo the razor in honour of Movember, a North East private healthcare organisation has announced that it is now offering a new, less invasive procedure for the treatment of urological conditions such as enlarged prostates.
Under the specialist care of consultant urological surgeon, Mr Alaiyi West, Nuffield Health Tees Hospital is offering pioneering Holmium Laser Enucleation (HoLEP) surgery to patients suffering with symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate gland.
The HoLEP procedure offers a modern alternative to traditional urological surgeries and can usually be carried out as part of a day admittance, with the majority of patients able to go home the following day.
Carried out under general or spinal anaesthetic, the surgery itself involves the insertion of a small, telescopic instrument topped with a camera into the urethra. The surgeon then uses a high-powered precision laser to carefully remove excess prostate tissue that is causing obstruction.
“As men get older, the cells of the prostate begin to swell. The increase in the size of the gland itself isn’t serious, however, sometimes it can cause complications. This condition is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH),” explained Mr West.
“The pressure of the enlarged prostate causes tension in the urethra or ‘water pipe’, obstructing the urine flow and resulting in the person being incapable of fully emptying their bladder. The bladder itself undergoes some changes as a result of this and can cause further symptoms such as the frequent or urgent need to urinate, both day and night.
“The HoLEP procedure is available to men of all ages who have symptoms of BPH caused by enlarged prostates. It is a simple procedure that can make a world of difference to people’s quality of life.”
The timely addition of the HoLEP procedure to Nuffield Health Tees Hospital’s range of available treatments coincides with the annual Movember event.
Devised by The Movember Foundation, each year during the month of November, men across the globe are encouraged to grow a sponsored moustache to raise awareness of men’s health. Among other things, Movember aims to highlight the importance of the early detection and treatment for mental health issues, testicular cancer and prostate cancer.
“I think the Movember movement is incredibly important,” Mr West added.
“Men are the ‘forgotten sex’ if you like. This is partly as a result of men themselves ignoring typical symptoms that would normally be associated with straightforward, benign diseases, but can also be caused by more serious conditions, obviously prostate cancer being the one all medical practitioners would ideally like to diagnose as early as possible.
“Campaigns like Movember highlight the importance of simply seeing your GP or hospital specialist to have these symptoms checked out, because earlier assessment allows earlier diagnosis and that paves the way for faster treatment and better outcomes.”
“I would urge anyone who thinks they may be symptomatic of an enlarged prostate to seek medical advice as soon as possible.”
Lesley Lock, hospital director at Nuffield Health Tees Hospital, commented:
“We are delighted to now be offering the HoLEP treatment to urology patients at Nuffield Health Tees Hospital.
“As a not-for-profit organisation, Nuffield Health is dedicated to continuously investing in the latest medical technologies to ensure that we are always expanding our services to patients.
“We feel that the HoLEP procedure will be a fantastic addition to our already extensive list of treatments and procedures and we hope that its availability will encourage more men to visit their GPs to get referred for assessment if they are suffering in silence with an undiagnosed condition.”
For more information about treatments available at Nuffield Health, visit www.nuffieldhealth.com.