I imagine the thought of this might make men’s eyes water a bit, but really good news…make sure your male patients are aware. I will be adding it onto my Men’s Health page – which I need to separate out into conditions, really – more to do!
Mail on Sunday 5.11.23 “WATER-JET PROCEDURE TO SHRINK PROBLEM PROSTATE WILL BE OFFERED AS ROUTINE” by Jonathan Neal.
Summary
A pioneering procedure that shrinks enlarged prostates with a high-powered jet of water is set to be offered on the NHS to 1,000s of men. The op, called Transurethral water-jet Ablation (TURP) has been available in limited circumstances for 5 years and NICE now recommends doctors in England to offer it as the first-line treatment for enlarged prostates.
The condition, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) causes the prostate gland to grow, placing pressure on the bladder and urethra. Over 30,000 men a year in UK have to undergo surgery for it.
The new procedure causes fewer complications and means men no longer need drugs. Urologist Neil Barber of Frimley NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey has been performing water-jet procedures, also known as aquablation since 2015. It can be performed as a day-case and takes 45 minutes to an hour, usually under general or spinal anaesthetic.
Mr Barber said “Men stuck on waiting lists for BPH surgery are continually having to be catheterised & admitted to hospital, while also on pharmaceuticals which can have severe side-effects.”