MEN who need treatment for an enlarged prostate can now have the latest laser surgery at Salisbury District Hospital.

This will avoid the need for open surgery in some cases and eliminate the side effects associated with more conventional surgery.

Salisbury is the first urology centre in the Wessex region to carry out the treatment called Holmium Laser Resection of the Prostate (HoLEP).

The procedure works by using a high-powered laser within a tiny telescope inserted through the urethra that carefully removes the prostate tissue that is causing the obstruction.

Unlike conventional surgery, which destroys the additional tissue, laser treatment also enables the surgeon to remove this tissue so that it can be tested to see if it is showing any changes that could be an early sign of prostate cancer.

James Brewin, Consultant Urologist at Salisbury District Hospital said: “This really is an innovative form of treatment and a first for this area. While it will not be suitable in all cases, it will be especially beneficial for men with very large prostates, as Using the laser surgery avoids the need for traditional open surgery and those longer recovery times too compared with laser treatment.”