EchoLaser machine to treat prostate enlargement | News

A new machine will revolutionise the way patients at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust are treated for enlarged prostates.  The new EchoLaser equipment, which has been generously donated by the Prostate Project, will allow patients to receive treatment under local anaesthetic, reducing their time in hospital.

EchoLaser thermal ablation is a micro-invasive procedure that uses laser light transmitted by optical fibres to cause heating of prostate.

Thanks to the use of fine needles and optical fibres, EchoLaser offers safety and effectiveness, shorter treatment times, and faster recovery times.

With just one 30-45 minutes session, it is possible to obtain a significant and persistent reduction of the prostate gland volume and an improvement of symptoms resulting from prostate blocking urine flow.

Dimitrios Moschonas, Consultant Urological Surgeon and Clinical Director of Urology at Royal Surrey, said: “It’s a revolutionary way to treat patients. This will allow us to treat patients under local anaesthetic.

“It will use laser energy to achieve significant reduction in the volume of the prostate, consequently freeing up the urethral channel from the compression that obstructs normal urinary flow.”

The procedure means that patients can have same day treatment and can go home and return at a later date to have their catheter removed, whereas under general anaesthetic, patients would need to stay in hospital. It also gives patients more treatment options, particularly frail elderly people who might not be suitable to have general anaesthetic but are fitted with catheters due to prostate problems.

Dr Moschonas added: “The fact that we are able to offer that is important because it gives us new treatment options for patients. It means that elderly patients can have this procedure.”