What is a TURP operation?

TURP is trans-urethral resection of prostate. Now, this is an operation that's been done for 40 years or so now to core out the inside of the prostate that's causing a blockage. And it's done using a camera that's put down the inside of the penis. And we use electrical energy running through a loop to cut through the prostate and remove that tissue that's causing a blockage.

Is TURP a major surgery?

TURP is considered a major operation, simply because it usually involves a general anaesthetic, or a spinal anaesthetic, and it takes about an hour or so to do. So, whilst there's no cuts on the outside, it is a major operation as such.

How long is a TURP procedure?

A TURP operation usually takes about an hour or so to do and most patients are in hospital for a couple of nights after that.

Can you drive after TURP surgery?

After a TURP operation, you can't drive for a couple of weeks and that's just to make sure everything heals up and that you're safe to drive, and you can do emergency stops and things like that if you need to.

My name's Nigel Batt. I'm a retired Chartered Accountant. I live in Sevenoaks with my wife. I went to Benenden for treatment for an enlarged prostate, basically. When I went to see my doctor, there was a long wait in urology. 

The problem was basically urinating. I had difficulty going to the toilet, basically, because the enlarged prostate was reducing the flow. That meant that my bladder wasn't emptying properly. So I had to go to the toilet more often and sometimes urgently. But the worst part was during the night, I'd wake up needing to go to the toilet. When I got there, I couldn't really do anything. So I'd go back to bed and I'd wake up a little while later and I would do this probably four or five times a night, which was a bit stressful.

Well, I was having trouble. My symptoms were getting worse. I'd been to the doctor a couple of years earlier and I wasn't too happy about the possibility of an operation etc. So I put it off, as a lot of men do. But I was talking to two of my very close friends, who were having similar symptoms and both of them had recently had a TURP operation very successfully. And that completely changed my mind. So I decided I really needed to do something about it.

I saw Mr Steve Garnett and he was excellent. It was very comprehensive. Mr Garnett was excellent. He was patient, very professional. He went through the various options available to me in great detail. He explained the side effects, the benefits of the operation, what I would experience, etc. He then gave me two leaflets for the two operations that were available to me, which explained everything in complete detail, what I was likely to experience and there was no pressure. I felt very relaxed talking to him.

They were excellent. What impressed me was just walking through the door into the reception, meeting the receptionist, very polite, worked very well etc. I was then escorted up to the ward. I was shown the room I was going to be staying in. The nurses were very professional and they were kind and considerate. And what was also very impressive was the catering staff and the cleaning staff. I mean, you know, they were polite, everything about it was a very pleasant experience, which is why I actually wrote to the surgeon afterwards to thank him for the professionalism that he and all his staff had shown me.

The one thing about Benenden is when you walk in, it's so calm and relaxed. And basically that says it all to me, if you're going to go to hospital, that is a fantastic place to be. I never actually was unable to do anything as a result of all this. It was more a question of getting worried about cancer which way it was going and what I was going to do about it, and I did put it off for a long time. Having had the operation, I really am so, so much better and I don't have the stress any more. One of the benefits of having the TURP is that they are able to test the tissue that's taken away from the prostate for any abnormalities and in my case, everything was fine. So it's a huge sense of relief and my well being now is excellent.

My experience and that of my wife, she's also been treated at Benenden, has been exceptional. I couldn't fault it in any way. Don't wait as long as me. It is something that is worrying when you get older, you worry about cancer, you have your PSA tests and they come back and they look reasonably ok, but it's not that satisfactory, but don't wait too long. It's like so many things, the sooner it's dealt with, the better.