Ground-breaking UroLift Surgery at HMT Sancta Maria Hospital
We are proud to now offer a ground-breaking prostate treatment that can restore normal urinary function to men with prostate issues.
UroLift is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that sees patients return home on the same day and, unlike previous-generation treatments it has no negative impact on sexual function. Several patients have already benefitted from the procedure and it is anticipated that many more patients will be offered Urolift in the coming months.
Peter Beynon, from Swansea, was one of the first patients to undergo the Urolift procedure at HMT Sancta Maria Hospital in May. Peter said: “This procedure changed my life. I had spent so long in pain. I would go hours and hours unable to pee and when I needed to go, it would come with urgency. Going out for the day would even be difficult as I never knew when my issues would flair up. I really feared going through a major operation, so when I approached HMT Sancta Maria and they said I qualified for a minimally invasive procedure, I couldn’t turn it down. I was in and out within 24 hours and I couldn’t fault the staff.
“I know that so many men will be suffering as I once did, and many will fear discussing it openly. But I can’t recommend this procedure enough. I now feel fantastic and there’s no shame in seeking support, especially when it can literally give you a new lease of life.”
UroLift allows a surgeon to use implants to lift the lobes of prostate that are blocking the urethra – the channel that allows urine to flow freely. The implants stay in place so the prostate is lifted all the time and the patient can then pass urine comfortably and normally.
Mr Gokul Kanda Swamy, our Consultant Urological Surgeon, said: “UroLift is a minimally invasive surgical option. It is suitable in a very select cohort of patients, but for those patients it is very successful. Multiple trials have shown a success rate of well above 80 to 90 percent, and the treatment has also been extended for patients who are retaining urine in the bladder and have been using catheters to deal with this. Those patients have been catheter free within the first 3 months after a UroLift procedure is in about 80 percent of patients.
“Another great advantage to the procedure is its speed. Once the patient recovers from anaesthesia and they have passed urine, they can go home the same day, with no post-surgery catheterisation. We expect this treatment to be greatly welcomed by our patients who are dealing with retention or with prostate issues that they want quick relief from and we are very pleased to be able to offer the treatment at HMT Sancta Maria Hospital.”
Mr Kanda Swamy adds: “This procedure is designed to address Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia – the physiological changes that happen in almost all men beyond a certain age as the prostate becomes enlarged. This very common condition can lead to discomfort, the retention of urine in the bladder, and increased risk of urinary infection. Benign prostatic Hyperplasia can be inconvenient and stressful to deal with and, crucially, unlike many other prostate procedures, UroLift has been shown in multiple trials to be the only treatment that carries no risk of sexual dysfunction.”
Patients will need a referral from their GP to access this treatment.
The UroLift procedure costs £4,679
For more information about the procedure, watch Mr Kanda Swamy’s UroLift explainer video below.