A NEW procedure has been made available at Southmead Hospital to tackle symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate.

The condition, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), affects one in three men over 50 and 80 per cent of men over 70, where the gland becomes enlarged and begins to obstruct the urinary system.

The most common symptoms are urinary problems caused by the prostate putting pressure on the bladder and the medication men take to try to manage the symptoms can have unpleasant side effects.

The new procedure, called UroLift, is a less-invasive alternative to Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), previously the only surgical treatment available on the NHS, where a section of the prostate is cut away.

Originally offered at Southmead in October as part of a trial, Urolift is now being made available to all suitable patients.

It involves inserting an implant to lift and hold the enlarged prostate tissue out of the way of the urethra so that it no longer causes an obstruction.

The procedure only takes 20 minutes, and can be carried out as a day case, helping to keep the hospital more efficient, with patients requiring less time for treatment.

Consultant urological surgeon Raj Persad, who has now carried out the procedure on 10 NHS patients in Southmead Hospital, said: “This is an ingenious low-risk effective procedure which promises to help men in the future with minimal trauma and invasiveness.

“The results from the trial we carried out showed what a difference this procedure can make.

“It really helps men them to get their lives back, and by offering such a minimally-invasive procedure, it also means that they recover so much quicker than the alternative which takes weeks.

“I’m pleased that we are now able to offer men this treatment at Southmead Hospital.”