Prostate surgery and laser prostate surgery at Spire Norwich Hospital

Spire Norwich Hospital is a well-established private hospital serving patients across Norfolk and East Anglia.

Our urologists are specialists in men’s health and have expertise in prostate surgery. Our dedicated nurses will provide you with expert aftercare, to help you get back to your usual activities as soon as possible.

You can expect fast access to diagnostic tests and scans, consultations and treatments. It usually takes around four weeks from referral or diagnosis by your consultant to having prostate surgery.

Your consultant will assess the condition of your prostate, your general health and your intended outcome in order to recommend the most appropriate treatment for you.

Our consultants offer a variety of treatments for benign prostate enlargement.

The type of anaesthetic you need varies depending on the procedure you need. It may be:

• A general anaesthetic meaning you’re asleep – this is most often used
• A spinal or epidural – where you can’t feel anything from the waist down
• A local anaesthetic – you’ll be awake but you won’t be able to feel anything in the area being operated on

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)

• A special instrument is passed through your urethra and a small, electrically-heated wire is used to trim small pieces of prostate tissue
• Performed under general anaesthetic
• You’ll need a urinary catheter for around one to three days after the operation

Laser prostate surgery

• A specialised tool is passed through your urethra and a laser (eg a HoLEP Holmium laser or GreenLight laser) which generates intense heat is used to trim small pieces of prostate tissue
• Performed under general anaesthetic
• You usually need a urinary catheter for around one to three days after the operation, but it may be for a shorter time than with a TURP

UroLift (prostatic urethral lift (PUL) implants)

• Instead of removing prostate tissue, implants are positioned to hold your prostate out of the way and increase the width of your urethra
• This procedure can be performed under general or local anaesthetic
• Usually, a urinary catheter isn’t required

Your consultant will explain the potential benefits and complications of each procedure before you decide to go ahead.

Coming into hospital

Spire Norwich Hospital is close to the University of East Anglia and just three miles from the city centre. We're approximately three miles from Norwich train station. There’s free parking available for you and your visitors.

Meeting your consultant

You’ll meet your consultant in one of our consultation rooms. You’ll discuss:

• Your symptoms and medical history
• If your consultant requires any additional tests or scans to help plan your treatment
• Alternative treatments or lifestyle changes which may help
• What the treatment involves and procedure options
• Potential benefits and risks of prostate surgery

You may also need a pre-operative assessment with a specialist nurse before going ahead with treatment. This is to ensure you're fit and well enough for surgery.

The procedure takes around 45 to 90 minutes. If you’ve come with a friend or family member, they’re welcome to wait in your room while you have your operation.

You’ll usually need at least an overnight stay – most patients stay for three days. You’ll have one of our private en-suite rooms, which all have:

• TV
• Window
• Armchair

After your procedure, you may have a urinary catheter in place to help you pass urine. This is because your urethra will be swollen following surgery, which can make urinating difficult. It will be taken out when you’re ready to leave hospital.

Our nurses will provide you with medication to help you manage any pain following your operation. They’ll also give you advice about over-the-counter medications you can use while at home, and anything you should or shouldn’t do.

Your recovery time will depend on the procedure you've had and your overall health. Although everyone’s different and you should always follow your consultant’s advice, here’s a typical timeline for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) - the most common procedure: