Prostate surgery at Spire Harpenden Hospital

At Spire Harpenden Hospital, we pride ourselves on our comprehensive private hospital services and high standards of care for our patients in Hertfordshire.

We have a team of expert urologists who specialise in men’s health and have wide experience of performing prostate surgery. Working alongside an excellent aftercare team, they’ll provide you with a treatment and recovery plan that’s tailored to your needs.

We offer fast access to consultations and treatments, in a clean, comfortable environment.

We have a range of procedures available for prostate surgery. All have their own potential benefits and risks which your consultant will discuss with you.

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

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

Water ablation or REZUM

• Water or steam under pressure is used to destroy prostate tissue
• Performed using general or spinal anaesthetic
• You’ll need a urinary catheter, usually until you leave the day after.

Your consultant will recommend a treatment based on your condition and overall health.

Coming into hospital

We have excellent road links to the M1 and A1(M) and are five minutes from Harpenden train station. Other public transport options are available. 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.

Prostate surgery takes from 45 to 90 minutes. If you've come with a friend or family member, they're welcome to wait in your private room while you have your operation.

After surgery, you may need a urinary catheter until the swelling in your urethra has gone down, allowing you to pass urine normally again. This will be taken out by one of our nurses before you leave hospital – which is usually for two to three nights after your operation. During your stay, you’ll have your own en-suite room which will have:

• TV
• Window
• En-suite bathroom
• Table over bed
• Side table
• Telephone

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: