Half-hour treatment for swollen prostate condition that affects one-in-three men over 50 arrives at Northampton General Hospital

The procedure uses implants to reposition and move tissue rather than removing it, saving time for patients and the NHS.

It will relieve pain for patients and means they can return home much sooner than if they went under the knife.

Mr Hemant Bhanudas Nemade, consultant urologist at NGH, says the procedure is already helping patients.

He said: “The treatment not only provides quick relief from symptoms it also has the benefit of reducing the risk of complications, catheterisation and sexual dysfunction that can be experienced following traditional surgical methods.”

Enlargened prostates can put pressure on the bladder and can cause problems going to the toilet by obstructing the urethra.

The condition affects around one-in-three men over the age of 50.

The new treatment - named the Urolift system - accesses the swollen prostate with a tube down the urethra and uses permanent implants to hold back the enlargened tissue, in a way compared to "opening curtains on a window".

The 25-minute procedure can be done in a physician's office under local anesthetic and usually does not need a follow-up visit to the doctor's.

One of the first patients to undergo the procedure at NGH said: "The operation itself also went very well, with only mild side effects which have now gone completely. My condition and original symptoms have greatly improved and I am very pleased with the outcome.”

Mr Nemade said: "I am confident the Urolift will make a real difference for our patients and would encourage more men to seek advice from their GP about an enlarged prostate or any similar symptoms."