Surgery is normally required for men with enlarged prostate glands who have not responded satisfactorily to medicine or have more severe problems. Thanks to the generosity of a couple of grateful patients, we were able to raise the money to acquire a Holmium Laser enabling our hospital to provide the gold standard treatment, as this state-of-the-art equipment has several advantages over transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), which is the most common surgical intervention currently.

The Holmium Laser allows the blockage caused by the enlarged prostate to be removed, with minimal damage to nearby structures. After surgery, patients typically stay in overnight and are discharged the following day, passing urine freely. For those treated with TURP, patients can stay in hospital for several days.

The success rate is 99%+ for laser surgery compared with 70% for TURP and prevents any patient having to live with a catheter. In addition, the need for further surgery because of regrowth of the prostate is almost zero, whereas for TURP it is approximately 15%. There are also no size limitations with the laser surgery, while TURP is only suitable for patients with prostates of less than 75gm, meaning open surgery would be the only option.

After introducing holmium laser enucleation of surgery (HOLEP), Mr Sandhu and his team found their capacity was limited to three patients per theatre session, because of the need to sterilise the laser scope between each patient. A further grant from Kingston Hospital Charity has allowed the urology team to acquire an additional three laser scopes and a morcelattor, which is required to remove prostate tissue, ensuring capacity per theatre session is doubled.

 Mr Sarb Sandhu, Chief of Surgery & Consultant Urologist, said:

“Our hospital’s ability to access this technology is testament to the impact philanthropy is having in an NHS setting, ensuring we are at the forefront of providing the best possible surgical interventions for treating a range of conditions, including enlarged prostate glands but also bladder cancer and kidney stones. My colleagues and I are extremely grateful to all who support our charity, enhancing the treatment we can provide to patients now and in the years to come.”