SURGEONS at a Hampshire hospital are among the first in the south outside London to offer a pioneering prostate operation.

Specialists at the Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital in Chandler’s Ford performing non-invasive procedure which dramatically speeds up healing time preventing further health complications.

Now doctors have hailed the treatment as a “game changer” which they say will revolutionise care for men suffering from one of the most common male health problems and say it will save the NHS millions of pounds.

It comes as they urge men who are experiencing symptoms of an enlarged prostate to avoid “suffering in silence” and seek help as soon as possible.

The private hospital in Winchester Road is the first in the south to treat Benign Prostate Enlargement (BPE) by performing the UroLift system to both private and NHS patients.

BPE is caused when the prostate gland surrounding the urethra becomes enlarged over time and begins to obstruct the urinary system.

Symptoms include a frequent need to empty the bladder day and night, difficulty emptying the bladder properly and in some cases inability to pass urine at all.

Treatment was traditionally restricted to medication – which can often be temporary and lead to side-effects such as sexual dysfunction – or surgery to cut away prostate tissue and open the blocked urethra.

But the operation can lead to up to six weeks off work and permanent side effects including urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction and retrograde ejaculation.

The UroLift system is available to people with mild and moderate symptoms as an alternative to surgery.

It involves passing a device up the patient’s urethra to the prostate and inserting permanent inplants into the gland to pin it back and improve urine flow.

There is no cutting or heating of tissue and it can be performed under local, or or intravenous sedation and typically takes less than 25 minutes – without the need of a catheter.

Most patients can leave a few hours after their operation – once they are able to demonstrate they can pass urine.

They can normally return to work around 48 hours later providing their job does not involve heavy lifting or intense physical exertion.

Mark Harris, a consultant urologist at the hospital said: “This is a real game changer as in the past there was just medication and surgery.

“This is much less invasive and they can go back to normal work within 48 hours. 

“Patients say it has revolutionised their life, their urinary flow flow is better and they get their sex life back. 

“Better sleep at night due to less trips to the toilet makes them feel more energised.”

He said that in many cases men often delay approaching their doctors for help due to embarrassment and can led their condition to worsen and added: “Men often delay coming forward to seek help, putting up with symptoms for much longer than necessary which can harm their bladder function, potentially reducing the benefits of treatment. 

“Men shouldn’t suffer in silence. We’d urge anyone who thinks they may have symptoms to visit their GP straightaway.”

One of the first patients to undergo the operation was a 63-year-old man from Southampton.

He told the Echo that for the past two to three years he was witnessing a sudden urge to urinate, difficulties passing urine and having to go again within five or 10 minutes, which was a great “inconvenience” and “embarrassment”. 

He said: “It would be a major problem for day-to-day life especially if you are at someone else’s house and you have to ask four or five times to go to the loo. 

“But this is a lot less intrusive and there is less time in the recovery and I should be back to normal quickly.

“This is amazing and should be a step forward in treatment.

NHS figures show that the costs to British hospitals of BPE is £1.7 billion over the past five years, with including £320million for 2014/15.