As they reach their fifties and beyond, one in three men will develop a condition known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, or an enlarged prostate. This very common condition can have a terrible impact on quality of life. Men experience difficulties passing urine, often having to get up several times a night. More rarely if left untreated, the condition can cause damage to kidneys. A normal prostate is approximately the size of a walnut. But the prostate is the only organ in the body which continues to grow throughout the lifespan and excess tissue will cause problems by blocking the normal flow of urine. Like other medical conditions, many men put up with the symptoms for months and even years. They are often embarrassed about the problem and reluctant to seek help. In fact it's quite often that the wives or partners push them forward to seek medical advice. Some have fears about the dreaded 'the prostate operation' which their father or older friends may have had, resulting in several days in hospital, considerable discomfort and surgical side effects which require a long period of convalescence. Known as TURP (Transurethral Resection of the Prostate), the traditional treatment for an enlarged prostate is an operation which involves cutting away the surplus prostate tissue using a telescope. Rarely, if the prostate is grossly enlarged, an open removal operation is performed via an abdominal incision. This will require even longer recovery time to get back to normal physical activity. Now there is a superior treatment which has many benefits for patients. Green Light Laser Treatment involves vaporising the surplus prostate tissue using a high powered laser. The concentration of power from the laser is so powerful that it is rapidly absorbed into the prostate tissue. Blood vessels in the target area are also vaporised, so there is very little blood loss. The laser is delivered through a thin fibre guided into the target area via a smaller and less traumatic telescope. It is a very safe, precise and non-invasive way of targeting surplus tissue. The whole procedure usually takes just 60 to 90 minutes and patients normally return home within 24 hours. We know the importance of this rapid recovery period. Many men with enlarged prostates have active and busy lives and do not want an operation which leaves them unable to resume normal activities for months. Green Light Laser Therapy is now the treatment of choice for the enlarged prostate in America and rapidly replacing the conventional TURP operations. The first Green Light Laser operation was performed in the UK in October 2002 And the procedure received approval from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in 2005. Yet it is currently only available in a relatively small number of hospitals across the UK. Together with my colleagues, Consultant Urologists Christopher Luscombe and Anurag Golash, we have established The Prostate Laser Centre Staffordshire and Cheshire to offer this new procedure to patients. Based at The Nuffield Hospital, North Staffordshire in Newcastle-under-Lyme, The Prostate Laser Centre provide rapid access to Green Light Laser treatment in a dedicated, specialist centre.
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