Prostate surgery and laser prostate surgery at Spire Murrayfield Hospital Wirral

At Spire Murrayfield Hospital, Wirral, we take pride in providing excellent private hospital care to our patients across Merseyside and beyond.

Our expert consultants will provide you with a treatment and recovery plan that’s personalised to your needs. We offer fast access to diagnostic tests and scans and consultations, so you won’t have to wait long to find out if surgery is right for you. We’ll usually be able to book your surgery within three weeks of your referral or diagnosis by your consultant.

You can expect to receive high-quality care in our clean, modern facilities from a consultant of your choice.

We offer a variety of treatments for prostate surgery. Treatment choices available to you will depend on your condition and your general health. Your consultant will discuss which treatment is best for 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

Transurethral electrovaporisation of the prostate (TUVP)

• Similar to TURP, but a rollerball instead of a wire loop is used to apply electrical energy to the tissue
• Performed under general or spinal anaesthetic
• A catheter is still required, but may be for a shorter time than TURP

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

Prostate artery embolisation (PAE)

• Shrinks the size of your prostate by blocking the arteries that feed it
• Performed using local anaesthetic
• A urinary catheter isn’t usually required

Water ablation

• 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.

Rezum

• Rezum is a minimally invasive treatment to relieve urinary symptoms by destroying prostate tissue
• Preserves sexual and urinary functions
• Daycase procedure

Every treatment has its own benefits and risks which your consultant will explain to you during your consultation.

Getting here

We're situated close to the M53, and you can also reach us by taking the train to Birkenhead Hamilton Square station, which is a 15 minute taxi ride away. We have free on-site parking for you and your visitors.

Your consultation

You’ll meet your chosen consultant in one of our private consultation rooms. Your consultant will discuss:

• Your symptoms and any particular urinary problems you’re having
• What the treatment options are, including alternatives to surgery such as medication and lifestyle changes
• Whether you need any tests or scans to help your consultant plan the next steps
• The potential benefits and risks of treatment

You may also need a pre-operative assessment with one of our specialist nurses to check if the procedure is right for you.

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

After surgery, you may need a 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. During your stay, you’ll have your own, en-suite room which will have:

• TV
• En-suite
• Window
• Armchair

As expected after surgery, you’ll feel some pain afterwards. Our nurses will help you manage this by giving you painkillers and advice about what over-the-counter medicines you can take after you leave hospital.

Although the recovery time varies depending on the procedure you've had and your overall health, here’s a guide to recovery timeline for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) – the most common procedure: