Radical Laparoscopic Prostatectomy

Mr Doherty is one of the UK’s pioneers of the radical laparoscopic prostatectomy, having completed 400 of these operations.

A prostatectomy involves the complete removal of the prostate and has traditionally been undertaken as open surgery.

Keyhole surgery, in which tiny incisions are made rather than the large cuts necessary in open surgery, means patients recover far more quickly from the operation. Patients are also less likely to face long term complications, such as incontinence.

Mr Doherty now uses a special surgical glue to seal the incisions, so patients are free from any external stitching.

This type of keyhole prostate surgery is technically challenging and only carried out by a small number of specialists across the country.

Extensive data is now available in order to assess the benefits of this type of surgery. The data shows there is little blood loss compared with open surgery, patients spend an average of two days in hospital, 96 per cent of patients do not need incontinence pads 12 months after surgery and there is a consistent reduction in PSA levels.