Enlarged prostate: Robotic generation remedy brings hope

Difficulty peeing, a widespread wish to cross to the bathroom and bother emptying their bladder – the ones are simply one of the crucial issues residing with an enlarged prostate can carry males.

Just ask David Fleming, from east Belfast, who has been residing with one for a lot of years and was once one among about 1,000 males on a ready checklist for bladder outlet surgical treatment.

If left untreated, an enlarged prostate can result in extra critical signs corresponding to acute urinary retention and infections – which is why getting that ready checklist down is so essential.

Fortunately a brand new remedy – or extra particularly, a brand new robot generation – is providing hope that the ones males will also be handled faster reasonably than later.

Mr Fleming himself was once thrilled to be one of the vital first to go through aquablation treatment on the Ulster Hospital.

The remedy, the primary of its sort around the island of Ireland, is a minimally-invasive process that makes use of a heat-free waterjet to take away extra prostate tissue, which Mr Fleming stated will make a large distinction to his existence.

The 64-year-old’s situation, often referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), worsened early this yr and his difficulties peeing ended in a catheter being fitted.

But this new remedy will “sort the prostate out so that the flow will be good in the future”.

Mr Fleming stated his situation was once being controlled by way of drugs till December however then it “took on a life of its own”.

“I would have been waking every hour at night, every hour and a half, so I really wasn’t getting much sleep and was really quite tired,” he stated.

Now, the process will have to resolve the problem, ensure that the catheter is got rid of and provides him “a good quality of life in relation to what I’ve had previously”.

Mr Fleming hopes, come his 65th birthday in September, he’s going to be “a new man”.

While there are a number of benign prostate therapies to be had, this remedy in particular is helping males experiencing urinary issues because of an enlarged prostate.

Until now, males with an overly enlarged prostate needed to commute to England for remedy or have extra advanced or invasive surgical treatment in Northern Ireland.

But this robot generation removes the desire for invasive prostate surgical treatment.

It makes use of image-guided, high-velocity water jets to exactly take away extra prostate tissue.

Real-time ultrasound imaging is helping the surgeon map and direct the water jet with accuracy, heading off harm to close by nerves and constructions liable for sexual serve as and continence.

Unlike conventional procedures, no warmth is concerned, considerably reducing the chance of headaches.

The South Eastern Health Trust stated this generation reduces the chance of unwanted side effects corresponding to erectile disorder, incontinence and bleeding that can require transfusion.

It additionally provides a shorter restoration time, shorter health center remains and decrease retreatment charges, making improvements to results for sufferers.

Ajay Pahuja, guide urologist on the South Eastern Health Trust, described it as “an exciting new transformative technology” with many advantages for males who’ve problem passing urine.

“It’s quite precise, it’s safe and quite quick,” he stated.

“Secondly, we’ll be able to probably get patients back to work – an early return to their normal jobs.

“The complication charges are rather low if you are exact.”

Mr Pahuja said it also preserves sexual function, which is one of the big things this technology offers.

While TURP is considered the gold standard care for treating benign prostate (BPH), surgeons say aquablation therapy complements the existing technologies they have and will hopefully help tackle the long waiting lists.

Mr Pahuja said the urology waiting list, like other specialities, had a legacy of problems and that those with age-related benign prostate enlargement were waiting “so long as 5 to seven years” for treatment, with many having to go to England.

He said aquablation therapy could mean more efficient and effective treatment, coupled with the South Eastern Health Trust being declared as a regional BPH centre, should help shorten the waiting lists.

The trust’s assistant director of surgery, Katharine Dane, said all men across Northern Ireland will benefit from this new treatment.

She said aquablation therapy was “an actual coup” for the agree with.

“It simply completes the suite of remedy,” she stated.

Men on a ready checklist in different trusts will probably be transferred to the Ulster Hospital to be introduced this provider, if that’s what is made up our minds is acceptable for his or her prostate.