While King Charles undergoes surgery in London… the five ways doctors test for prostate abnormalities

There are around 3 million men in Britain with symptoms of a benign enlarged prostate, experts say.

Most men do not need surgery and can change their lifestyle or take medications, but there are several surgical options if these don’t work.

Ranan Dasgupta, who operated on King Charles at the London Clinic, offers five types of procedures for an enlarged prostate, according to his profile page on the hospital’s website.

These are aquablation therapy, prostate artery embolization, transurethral resection of the prostate gland (TURP), Urolift and Rezum.

There are around 3 million men in Britain with symptoms of an enlarged prostate (stock photo)

Doctors say these treatments typically require a one-night stay in the hospital for observation, but the patient can be discharged the next day.

Patients should avoid heavy lifting for three or four weeks and routine exercise for fourteen days after surgery, but be able to walk and perform light household chores as soon as they get home.

Men can usually resume sex four to six weeks after treatment.

Consultant urologist and prostate expert Mr Hamid Abboudi told the Mail that no treatment is necessarily better than another and which treatment a patient receives will depend on their individual circumstances.

Each surgeon and patient will need to consider the size of the prostate and its configuration, the man’s general health and condition, the symptoms that most bother him or her and the side effects that he or she is most likely to experience. treaties.

Water ablation

There are two types of water ablation procedures.

The first involves injecting water into the prostate using a probe guided through the urethra.

The pressure of the water is then used to destroy some of the prostate tissue, making it smaller.

The second type is very similar, except that steam instead of water is used to destroy prostate tissue.

One in three men over 50 will have symptoms of an enlarged prostate, including having to go to the toilet more often (Stock Image)

Embolization of the prostate artery

A catheter is inserted into an artery in your groin or wrist. With the help of X-ray guidance, it is transferred to the blood vessels that supply the prostate gland.

Small plastic particles are injected into these vessels to reduce blood flow to the prostate gland, causing it to shrink.

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)

TURP involves removing part of the prostate gland using a device called a resectoscope, which is passed through the urethra (the tube through which urine leaves the body).

UroLift

A surgeon inserts UroLift implants that hold the enlarged prostate away from the urethra so it is not blocked. This helps relieve symptoms such as pain or difficulty urinating.

Rezum

Rezum is a minimally invasive treatment that reduces the painful urinary symptoms of an enlarged prostate without affecting sexual function.

It uses heat energy to destroy prostate tissue and shrink the gland.