Hospital's new kit gives green light to better patient care

MORE than 200 people have already benefited from a new piece of hi-tech equipment for the treatment of prostate enlargements at Boston's Pilgrim Hospital.

Costing £100,000, the new second generation greenlight laser equipment is used to reduce prostatic enlargements, which causes blockages in the bladder neck and difficulty in passing water, leaving patients with less discomfort and able to leave hospital sooner than previous methods.

Surgeons at the hospital have now used the equipment in excess of 200 times and say it has gone down well with both patients and staff.

Consultant urologist Shaukat Memon told the Target the equipment has changed the way they operate on patients with prostate enlargement.

He said: "It has now got to a stage where patients are talking among themselves about how good this procedure is and recommending it to each other.

"Previously, a patient would have to stay in hospital for a number of days and be catheterised.

"This new equipment works completely differently.

"This means that patients can often go home within a day of their operation."

Mr Memon said he and his team have been extremely satisfied with the state-of-the-art equipment.

He added: "It is particularly useful in the care of high risk or elderly patients, as the procedure is much less invasive and much simpler than before, improving their recovery rate and shortening their length of stay in hospital."