A father whose life was severely impacted by an enlarged prostate, causing him to urinate up to 18 times a day, has described a new robot-assisted surgery as a “significant improvement” to his quality of life.
Mark Oliver, a 67-year-old retired electrical engineer from Long Hanborough, West Oxfordshire, endured years of debilitating symptoms before undergoing the innovative procedure.
Mr Oliver first noticed symptoms of an enlarged prostate around 2016, at the age of 57. Initially, this manifested as interrupted sleep, requiring him to get up a couple of times during the night to use the toilet.
Within two years, he observed a marked decline in his ability to control his bladder, prompting a visit to his doctor. While initial tests came back normal, further investigations revealed his prostate had grown to “the size of an orange” – significantly larger than the typical walnut-sized organ.
The condition led to regular, involuntary bladder leakage, forcing Mr Oliver to wear incontinence pads.
He was prescribed medication, tamsulosin, which offered only marginal relief by relaxing muscles around the prostate. At its worst, he was using the toilet “a dozen times” during the day and up to “six times a night,” leading to “pretty sad nights waking up tired and irritable.”
The constant struggle took a heavy toll on his mental well-being and social life.
“When I explain to people how big the improvement is – if normal activity in going to the loo is 100%, I was down to having probably 10% control,” Mr Oliver told PA Real Life.
He recalled the embarrassment of being “absolutely saturated” while playing golf, constantly searching for a bush, and being unable to concentrate on the game or company. “It was bringing on a little bit of depression and anxiety because it was in the forefront of my mind all the time,” he explained. “It made me go into a shell and not socialise.”
Public outings became a logistical challenge, with Mr Oliver planning his day around toilet access and even carrying a master key for disabled facilities.
He also noted that before identifying coffee and tea as triggers, he would frequently interrupt work meetings to use the lavatory, feeling “people looking” at him each time he got up.
His initial fears in 2016 were of prostate cancer, as his father had been diagnosed with the condition in his mid-70s. However, extensive investigations over the years, including blood tests, urine flow tests, kidney tests, abdomen MRI scans, and neurology appointments, all returned normal results.
He was ultimately diagnosed with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), the medical term for an enlarged prostate. Prostate Cancer UK states that BPH is very common in men over 50, with about one in three experiencing urinary symptoms, and importantly, it does not increase the risk of prostate cancer.
In 2021, aged 62, Mr Oliver’s doctor suggested a transurethral resection of the prostate (Turp) procedure, but it carried risks of side effects like erectile dysfunction and worsening incontinence.
Despite this, he found “light at the end of the tunnel” and joined a waiting list. By November 2024, still waiting, he received a call offering an alternative: aquablation therapy.
This minimally-invasive procedure uses a high-pressure water jet to remove excess prostate tissue, guided by a robot.
It is becoming increasingly available across the UK, offered in 13 NHS hospitals and nine Nuffield Health facilities. As an NHS patient, Mr Oliver received the treatment free of charge at The Manor Hospital in Oxford, a Nuffield Health hospital.
Though “a little bit apprehensive,” he proceeded with the two-hour procedure three weeks later.
Admitted under general anaesthetic, Mr Oliver described the removal of his catheter 24 hours post-surgery as the “most painful” part, though it lasted only “a minute or two.”
He praised the “incredible” care he received.
Recovery was “painful, but not intolerable,” with no significant improvement for the first six weeks. However, within a year, his condition “significantly improved.” He now uses the toilet “two or three times at the most” during a normal day, a dramatic reduction from 18.
He still exercises caution with liquid intake, avoiding drinks after 7 pm and monitoring caffeine and alcohol, and continues to wear level one or two incontinence pads as a “psychological” precaution.
The most profound change has been his renewed confidence. Last week, he socialised with friends, an activity he would have avoided before the aquablation. Mr Oliver believes it is crucial for men to be open about their health issues and to get checked if they experience symptoms. “Men of my generation, we keep our personal stuff to ourselves and it can have severe consequences,” he urged. “So I think the more you can open up and talk about it, the more likely it is that more people’s lives will be saved.”
For more information about Aquablation therapy with Nuffield Health, visit their website at: https://www.nuffieldhealth.com/treatments/aquablation-therapy
