Changes lead to progress
NTEC Urology Team
New Territories East Cluster
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) mostly affects men over the age of 60. Patients commonly experience symptoms such as difficulty urinating and frequent urination, which can seriously affect the quality of life for themselves and their family members. Some patients avoid going out, resulting in significant social limitations. The NTEC Urology Team has introduced minimally invasive procedure that requires only local anaesthesia and takes just 30 minutes to complete. Patients often see noticeable improvement within six weeks after surgery.
The Team shares, "one of our patients, a hawker in his seventies, used to wear a urine bag that deterred customers. After undergoing the minimally invasive procedure, he no longer needs the urine bag and has regained his confidence. His heartfelt gratitude was truly encouraging."
Traditional BPH surgery takes about one to two hours and requires general anaesthesia, followed by a hospital stay for post-operative monitoring. As elderly patients often have other medical issues, the risks associated with anaesthesia and surgery are higher. And the operating theatres may need to be reserved for critically ill patients, resulting in longer waiting time for prostate surgery. The Team has introduced minimally invasive surgery at Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital since 2022, adopting the first nurse-led service model of its kind in Hong Kong. "The procedure is performed in a treatment room and typically takes only 15 to 30 minutes. Patients in stable condition can be discharged on the same day, reducing the bed occupancy rate," the Team explains. Nurses provide pre-operative and post-operative care, including measuring prostate size, assessing urine flow, monitoring kidney function via blood tests, and conducting post-surgery phone follow-ups.
There are two main types of minimally invasive surgery: Steam therapy, which uses high-temperature steam to shrink prostate cells to improve urination; and prostatic urethral lift surgery, which employs implants to lift prostate tissue to widen the urinary passage. Currently, the waiting time for the procedure is approximately eight weeks, far below the one year waiting time for traditional surgery.
To date, the Team has successfully treated 550 patients and hopes to share their experience with other clusters to bring hope to more families.
