New prostate surgery option now available at Sidilega Private Hospital

The laser procedure is used to resolve urine blockage problems in older men

Sidilega Private Hospital has become the first and only hospital in Botswana to offer a ground-breaking surgical procedure for treating prostate enlargement, which is a common condition that is associated with ageing.

The procedure is used to treat a non-cancerous growth of the prostate which tends to manifest itself when the man has problems emptying his bladder. This is known as clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

The new procedure, called holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) involves using a special high-powered laser to remove the gland and any tissue that causes obstruction of the urethra, through which the urine drains.

Compared to the traditional methods, this procedure is said to be less invasive and more precise, which means patients are discharged sooner, have a much shorter recovery time and the chance or requiring further surgery is very low.

The prostate gland resembles a washer at the opening of the bladder and the prostate grows as men get older. They start at roughly the size of a chestnut for a man in his 20s and can grow to the size of a mandarin or a tennis ball for men aged 50 and over.

According to experts, it is normal for a man’s prostate to enlarge with age, as the cells of the prostate begin to swell. It is estimated that half of men over the age of 50 will suffer from at least some BPH symptoms. Medication is usually used initially to treat these symptoms but unfortunately has limitations.

In some cases the prostate becomes large enough to occlude, or obstruct, the urethra, making it difficult to pass urine. An enlarged prostate gland can lead to serious complications such as recurrent UTIs, bladder stones, urinary retention, and kidney failure in rare cases. It is important to seek treatment early for this condition because, if left untreated, it can lead to urinary retention and poor bladder and kidney function.

HoLEP is carried out under general anaesthetic with the assistance of a tiny camera which together with the laser instrument is mounted on a fine telescopic rod that is inserted into the urethra via the penis.

A catheter is inserted and generally removed the morning after surgery. Apart from some minor discomfort from the catheter and increased frequency in voiding, it is usual not to have much pain. Generally, urinary function is back to normal by three months after the surgery

“When we use the laser, we can do big prostate glands instead of using open surgery. By doing so,we can reducing the risk of bleeding, hospital stay for the patient and eventually the cost of the procedure will be much less compared to the conventional methods,” explained Specialist Urologist at Sidilega Hospital, Dr Daou Gdeh.

He further said; “the plan is to do big size prostate sing endoscopic surgery and laser instead of open surgery which can predispose the patient to so many complications.”

Sidilega Hospital superintendent Dr Motsholathebe Phuthego said the new HoLEP procedure marks another first and gold standard for the hospital, as they introduce the new surgery to the hospital and the country for the first time.

“Sidilega is expanding and as our services continue to grow, our mission is to bring the much needed services closer to home and give Batswana exceptional experiences around helping them achieve their health goals,” he said.

Adding “We are committed to continued investment in new procedures and technology, and driving innovation with our world-class experts, to give our patients the best possible outcomes.”