Urology team have new procedure reducing waits for patients
Kettering General Hospital has launched a new way of carrying out prostate biopsies to improve care and reduce waiting and treatment times for patients with suspected prostate cancer.
On March 9 Consultant Urologist Mr Roland England and the urology team carried out the first local anaesthetic transperineal biopsy (LATP*) at the hospital.
This is a procedure where biopsy samples are taken through the perineum using a needle guide and needle.
Kettering General Hospital’s Clinical Lead for Urology, Mr David Payne, said: “The advantage for the patient is that they can have the procedure quickly, under local anaesthetic, in about 30 minutes and then go home the same day.
“The alternative under general anaesthetic involves booking a theatre slot which can lead to longer waits at an anxious time for the patient.
“It is also simpler than the alternatives, which either involve the same procedure under general anaesthetic, or biopsy via the rectum - the latter carrying a greater risk of infection.”
The first procedure was carried out in a theatre setting with a plan for them to be available for suitable patients in outpatient clinics.
KGH’s Urology Cancer Pathway Programme Lead Gill Schram said: “Over time we anticipate being able to do 90% of this type of biopsy in this way, which will represent approximately 300 cases per year.
“LATP enables us carry out this crucial test in less time than the same procedure under general anaesthetic, enables the team to see more patients and through this reduce patient waiting times.
“For patients it means less of an anxious wait to find out if they do or don’t have cancer.”
What the procedure involves
LATP – The consultant will first inject anaesthetic into the perineum (the area of skin between the scrotum and anus) to numb the area.
They will then insert an ultrasound probe into the back passage to show the prostate gland and through this to help guide the biopsy needles through to the prostate.
The results of MRI scans may also be used to help identify where to take the biopsy samples from.
The consultant will then insert a biopsy needle through the perineum and into the prostate, taking a number of samples which are then sent to the pathology lab for analysis as to whether or not cancer is present.
The procedure has become more common in recent years, with a number of hospitals nationally having adopted this evidence-based practice, the benefits ranging from improving patients’ experience of their management and care, as well as reducing wait times and the time it takes to confirm or rule out cancer.