Urology in Bromley

At The Sloane Hospital in Beckenham, Kent, experienced Consultant Urological Surgeons provide people aged 18+ with expert assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of urological symptoms.

Urology is the specialist area of medicine dealing with problems in the male and female urinary tract, and of the male reproductive system.

Your urinary tract is formed by the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. In men, it also includes the prostate, penis, and testicles.

The urinary tract filters the blood to remove waste products and excess fluid, which is expelled from the body as urine. In men, the prostate, penis, and testicles are part of the reproductive system, responsible for sexual function.

A problem in any part of the urinary tract can cause health problems and symptoms. These may be mild or more severe, impacting on daily life.

Due to the intimate nature of many urinary tract problems, many people with symptoms are embarrassed about seeing a doctor and put off seeing somebody for help until their symptoms are more severe. Unfortunately, this can mean that diagnosis and treatment is delayed.

If you are experiencing any symptoms that are causing you concern, it is important to get expert medical assessment at the earliest possible stage. You can easily a private appointment with one of our experienced Consultants, who would be delighted to help you.

People visit the Consultant Urologists at The Sloane Hospital for a variety of reasons, including:

• Urinary symptoms
  • Blood in urine
  • Recurrent urinary infections
  • Difficulty urinating – hesitancy or weaker flow
  • Urgency / needing to rush to the toilet
  • Increased frequency of urination
  • Leakage / incontinence
  • Nocturia (urinating more frequently at night)
• Loin pain
• Stone disease
• Concerns around cancer of the kidney or bladder
• Lump or swelling found in the testes, penis or scrotum
• Penis / scrotal issues – including erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation or unusual curvature of the penis
• Concerns around prostate cancer (for example, a recent blood test may have shown a raised PSA level, or you may have a family history of cancer)
• Tight or painful foreskin

While many of these may cause concern, upon investigation it may be found that there is nothing to worry about. If any treatment is needed, this can be arranged for you without delay.

Many urinary conditions and symptoms can be treated effectively without the need for surgery.

Simple lifestyle changes such as cutting down on caffeine and alcohol may relieve some symptoms.

Pelvic floor muscle exercises and/or bladder training is often very helpful for managing incontinence.

Prescribed medication such as tablets or antibiotics can be used to treat recurrent UTIs, stress incontinence, erectile dysfunction, or an enlarged prostate.

If conservative treatments are not able to relieve your symptoms sufficiently, you may need surgery.

Surgery for urinary conditions is often with cystoscopy. A cystoscope is a thin tube with a camera. It is passed through your urethra and into the bladder to provide an excellent view of these internal structures. Your Consultant can then examine them for any abnormalities, such as stones, growths, or blockages.

Some treatments can be carried out during a cystoscopy, using small surgical tools that are passed through the cystoscope. For example, small stones can often be removed from the bladder, or a biopsy taken if indicated.

Many types of procedures within the urinary tract can be carried out by laparoscopy (keyhole surgery). This minimally invasive surgery uses only small incisions (cuts) in the skin and provides reduced pain and bleeding, less visible scarring, and often a faster recovery.

Stones in the kidney or renal tract can be treated in different ways, and your Consultant will discuss suitable options with you once a diagnosis has been made.

If the urethra has a narrowing in it, caused by injury, infection, or inflammation, a urethrotomy can be carried out to open this up.

Cancer in the prostate, kidney, bladder, or testicles, may be treated with surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy. If referral to Oncology is needed, this will be arranged for you rapidly.

A transurethral resection of a bladder tumour (TURBT) may be carried out to establish the type of bladder tumour present and to scrape away (resecting) a superficial tumour.

A radical prostatectomy (complete remove of the prostate and seminal vesicles) may be advised if prostate cancer is found that has not yet spread outside the prostate.

Testicular cancer is normally treated by surgically removing the testicle (this is known as an orchidectomy). An artificial prosthesis may then be inserted into the scrotum in order to give it a more natural appearance.

Where an enlarged prostate is causing problems by pressing on the urethra, surgery can be carried out to reduce its size. Trans-urethral resection of the prostate (TURP) involves removing enough prostate tissue to relive the pressure on your urethra.

For men, surgery also includes circumcision, circumcision revision, vasectomy, and vasectomy reversal.

With a wide range of treatments available, both conservative and surgical, help is available for you from highly experienced urologists. Treatment is always tailored to your specific needs.

Please note that many of these treatments can be provided on-site at The Sloane Hospital, but others (for example, robotic-assisted surgery or laser prostate surgery) are not available at the hospital and will be arranged for you off-site by your Consultant.

When you first visit The Sloane Hospital, your Consultant will take a medical history and talk with you about your symptoms. They will ask you questions like:

• What symptoms do you have?
• How long have you had these symptoms / when you first notice them?
• Have they been getting worse?
• Do you have any pain?
• Have you already received any type of treatment?
• Are your symptoms affecting daily life?

A physical examination may be needed. In men, this might include a prostate examination (digital rectal examination/DRE), which is quick and painless.

A Flow Rate test is a quick and simple way of measuring the speed and volume of urine passed, and can be a good indicator of general bladder function.

Blood tests are often helpful when looking at possible infection, inflammation, or cancer.

A flexible cystoscopy may be carried out to look for any blockage or narrowing along the urethra.

Additional diagnostic scans like ultrasound, MRI and CT may be arranged for you, although these are not always carried out on the same day.

Once any results are back and a diagnosis has been made, your Consultant will talk you through treatment options. If you have any questions or concerns, they will be very happy to talk through them with you.

If anything is found that requires referral to another specialist, this is easily arranged for you.

Most of our patients are local to Beckenham, although excellent rail access from Central London makes it very easy to visit us from further afield.

We treat people with private medical insurance and self-pay patients.

When you choose The Sloane Hospital, you will benefit from:

• Short waiting times – We can arrange a private Urology appointment for you without delay so that you can get the help you need sooner.
• Flexible appointments – Appointments are normally carried out in person at The Sloane Hospital. However, we can offer remote appointments by telephone or online video call if needed.
• A wider team – Your Consultant has quick access when needed to a wider healthcare team, including specialist in radiology, oncology, anaesthetics, and physiotherapy.
• Consultant-led care – Your Consultant will oversee every step of your care, and you will never be treated by a more junior doctor. This continuity of care allows treatment to be quickly and easily adjusted if needed.
• Recommended by patients – In an independent survey, 96.3% of the people we treated said they were likely or extremely likely to recommend The Sloane Hospital to their family and friends.
• Location – The hospital is conveniently accessible by both road and rail. The nearest railway stations are Shortlands, Beckenham Junction, and Bromley South. Our car park is free for patients.

If you have any symptoms causing you concern or affecting daily life, why not book your private urology appointment now? We can help you receive the support you need as soon as possible.