EWJ Dec 2023 - Journal - Page 50
Men Can Enjoy Life Again with
a New Robotic Treatment for BPH
A robotic, heat-free technique treats a non-cancerous problem known as Benign Prostatic
Hyperplasia (BPH), where men have difficulty passing urine due to an enlarged prostate.
Consultant urologist Neil Barber explained that the
prostate enlarges in men from their late-40s and can
lead to BPH. “That may start to affect the dynamics of
urine flow out of the bladder and cause symptoms,”
he says.
New therapy with NICE validation
Now, Aquablation Therapy, a new minimally invasive
heat-free robotic therapy is being offered to patients.
Recent recognition by the National Institute for
Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a technology
that is effective, safe and has advantages for patients
and healthcare systems effectively paves the way for
wider use in the NHS.
Treatment options for benign prostatic
hyperplasia
The standard treatment for BPH has been
Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP),
which is effective in relieving urinary symptoms but
can damage nerves and parts of the prostate gland
essential for sexual function.
Barber, a consultant at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust and a specialist in BPH surgery says the
procedure sees a patient’s anatomy mapped on-screen
using live ultrasound before a precise robotically controlled water jet clears a channel in the enlarged
prostate, allowing urine to flow unimpeded, while
preserving critical anatomy.
Another option is a more radical laser technique
known as HoLEP (Holmium Laser Enucleation of
Prostate). While men can manage the condition by
watching fluid intake, they may need medication or
even surgery as their condition deteriorates.
“A big positive for patients is that it achieves a
successful procedure at a lower risk of affecting sexual
function,” he says. “We now also have high-quality,
long-term data which makes surgeons and urologists
more comfortable talking to patients about this being
a realistic option.”
Untreated BPH can lead to infections, bladder stones,
incontinence or urinary retention resulting in a
catheter being inserted into the bladder while waiting
for treatment.
Mr Dawson is a Consultant Urologist with over 26 years’ experience.
He has formal training in personal injury and medical negligence reporting
and completed the Bond Solon Expert Witness Course in 2006. In 2008
he completed a Diploma in Law at the College of Law in Birmingham.
Mr Dawson has over 19 years of medico legal report writing and expert
witness work and has completed over 1670 reports, He has completed
numerous Fitness to Practise reports for the General Medical Council.
He is the author of the ABC of Urology, now in its 3rd edition, and also co-edited the Evidence
for Urology which won first prize in the urology section of the BMA Medical Book Competition
in 2005.
Mr Dawson is happy to accept instructions for personal injury, clinical negligence and condition
and prognosis reports.
M: 07711 584939
E: expertwitness@chrisdawson.org.uk
EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL
48
DECEMBER 2023