The Holly Private Hospital is home to some of the country’s most skilled and experienced consultant urologists, doctors who diagnose and treat problems of the male genitourinary tract and the female urinary system. One of the common reasons patients come to The Holly is for examinations and treatments of the prostate, a small gland in the pelvis found only in men. As you get older, your prostate may get bigger. This can put pressure on your bladder and urethra, and cause problems with passing urine. Surgical treatments for enlargement of the prostate are an option for men with troublesome symptoms who have not had satisfactory results after trying medication, or who do not wish to remain on long-term medication for their prostate condition.
Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP)
One surgical option is holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP), a minimally invasive treatment for an enlarged prostate.
HoLEP is a physical debulking operation to remove obstructing tissue from the middle of the prostate that is causing urinary symptoms such as:
- Retention of urine.
- A poor flow.
- Dribbling on the trousers after urination.
- Waiting a long time to start passing urine.
It may be helpful in:
- Urgency and frequency of urination.
- A feeling of not being empty.
- Getting up at night to pass urine.
How is HoLEP performed?
This is usually as a day case or overnight stay. Your urologist will perform a procedure beforehand to assess the size of your prostate called a transrectal ultrasound. On the day of the operation, you may have a general anaesthetic or a spinal anaesthetic. If you have the latter, you will need to wear special goggles during the operation to protect your eyes from the laser light.
A camera will be inserted into the penis and a laser used, a bit like a knife, to core out the central portion of the prostate gland. This is pushed into the bladder and converted into chips which are removed and sent for analysis. You will have a catheter fitted afterwards which will be removed later the same day or up to five days later based upon the amount of tissue removed.
We offer an all-inclusive self-pay package for surgery to treat urinary problems caused by an enlarged prostate. Prices for the HoLEP procedure and one follow-up appointment start from £6,167 (terms and conditions apply). For more information and eligibility criteria, speak to one of our self-pay advisors by calling
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