Concierge urology · UK
Prostatic urethral lift - relief without the trade-off.
Tiny permanent implants that hold the enlarged prostate open, so urine flows freely again. No cutting, no heating, no tissue removed - a day-case that protects your ejaculation and erections, often with no catheter at all.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A urologist who does UroLift by the dozen
A consultant urologist with a genuine prostatic urethral lift practice - placing the implants regularly, not as a rare add-on. Case selection is everything with this procedure, and volume shows in the results.
- 02
Sexual function protected, up front
The whole point of the lift is preserving ejaculation and erections. We confirm your anatomy suits it before you book, so you keep the benefit that other prostate operations sacrifice.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so whether a lift, a laser procedure or medication fits your gland and your goals is an impartial conversation that costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What a private UroLift costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner urology units. Send your symptoms and we quote firm figures, factoring in the likely number of implants and your choice of anaesthetic, with cover checked.
In short
Local-anaesthetic UroLift in our network: £4,000–£6,000, home the same day, often catheter-free.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| UroLift (2–4 implants), local anaesthetic day-case | £4,000–£6,000 | 15–30 min | Day-case, home same day |
| UroLift under general or spinal anaesthetic | £5,000–£7,000 | 20–40 min | Day-case, home same day |
| UroLift for a larger gland or median lobe (more implants) | £5,500–£7,500 | 30–45 min | Day-case or 1 night |
| Flexible cystoscopy assessment | £400–£800 | 15–20 min | Same visit |
| Flow rate and bladder-emptying study | £200–£400 | 20–30 min | Same visit |
| Urology consultation only | £250–£450 | 30–45 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by hospital, by urologist, by the number of implants your gland needs, and by whether you choose local or general anaesthetic. Larger glands needing more implants sit at the top of the range. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
Symptom relief should not cost you your sex life.
Too many men are offered only tablets that half-work or a resection that fixes the flow but ends normal ejaculation. The lift is the middle path many are never told about - and suitability turns entirely on the assessment.
-
Function is part of the outcome
For many men, keeping ejaculation and erections matters as much as flow. The lift is built around that, and we make sure it is part of the decision.
-
The assessment decides everything
A cystoscopy that sizes the gland and checks for a central lobe is what tells us if the lift will work for you - not a leaflet or a hunch.
-
Honest about the trade-off
Flow gains are smaller than a laser or resection, and a few men need re-treatment later. We put that plainly against the benefit before you decide.
The journey
From enquiry to a better flow - what happens, in order.
One team from first message through the assessment, the day-case procedure and your follow-up flow check.
Phase 1 · Before your procedure
Assessment, cystoscopy and planning
Phase 2 · On the day
Day-case and discharge
Phase 3 · After
Review and flow re-check
- 01
Before
You tell us your symptoms
A short, confidential form. Your urinary symptoms, any flow tests, current medication, gland size if known, and how much your sex life matters in the decision.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: whether the lift suits your anatomy, how it compares with laser and medication, and an indicative price.
- 03
Before
Flow and cystoscopy assessment
A flow rate, a bladder-emptying check, and a flexible cystoscopy to size the gland and confirm there is no obstructing tissue that would rule the lift out.
- 04
Before
Anaesthetic and implant planning
The urologist decides local or general anaesthetic and how many implants your prostate is likely to need - usually two to six.
- 05
On the day
The procedure
A telescope is passed along the urethra; small permanent implants are placed to hold the enlarged lobes open. No cutting, heating or removal of tissue. Usually 15–30 minutes.
- 06
On the day
Home the same day
A day-case. Many men leave without a catheter; where one is placed it usually comes out within a day or two. Written aftercare in hand.
- 07
After
Review and flow re-check
A review at 2–4 weeks with a repeat flow test to confirm the improvement. Most men feel the difference within the first couple of weeks.
Typical end-to-end: 1–2 weeks from enquiry to procedure. Back to normal activity: a few days to a week.
When it helps
When the lift is the right step.
The men who benefit most, the anatomy that suits it, and the one red flag that usually points to a tissue-removing operation instead.
-
Bothersome benign enlargement
Weak flow, hesitancy, frequency or getting up at night from an enlarged prostate that is affecting your quality of life.
-
Medication not tolerated or not working
Where alpha-blockers or 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors have failed, or their side effects - dizziness, sexual problems - are unacceptable.
-
Sexual function is a priority
The lift preserves ejaculation and erections, so it suits men who want symptom relief without the ejaculatory changes that follow laser or TURP surgery.
-
A wish to avoid heat-based surgery
No tissue is cut, heated or removed, which appeals to men who want the least invasive step and the fastest recovery.
-
Keen to skip a hospital stay
A day-case done under local anaesthetic, often catheter-free, for men who want to be home the same day and back to work quickly.
-
A suitable gland shape and size
Best suited to prostates without a large central (median) lobe and generally under about 100 cc, confirmed at cystoscopy.
-
Blood thinners or high anaesthetic risk
A gentler option for men on anticoagulants or unfit for longer surgery, discussed with the urologist and anaesthetist.
-
Red flag: retention or a failing bladder
Complete inability to pass urine, a chronically overstretched bladder or kidney effects usually need a tissue-removing operation rather than a lift - assessed first.
Procedure options
One implant system, tailored to your gland.
What the choices involve - the number of implants, the anaesthetic, whether a central lobe can be treated, and how the lift stacks up against the alternatives.
-
Standard UroLift
The commonest form. Two to four permanent implants pull the side lobes of the prostate apart to widen the urethral channel, leaving a clear passage for urine.
-
Local anaesthetic day-case
Numbing gel and local anaesthetic with light sedation. You stay awake, the procedure takes minutes, and you go home the same day - often the preferred route.
-
General or spinal anaesthetic
For men who prefer to be asleep, have a sensitive urethra, or need more implants. Still a day-case, with a slightly longer recovery from the anaesthetic.
-
Median-lobe UroLift
A dedicated technique for men whose enlargement includes an obstructing central lobe, which older lift methods could not treat - suitability confirmed at cystoscopy.
-
Larger-gland UroLift
Bigger prostates simply need more implants to hold the channel open. There is a practical ceiling around 100 cc, above which a tissue-removing operation is usually better.
-
Catheter-free where possible
Because no tissue is removed, many men need no catheter at all - a key difference from laser and resection procedures, where a catheter is routine.
-
How it compares with laser and TURP
The lift gives smaller average flow gains than HoLEP, GreenLight or TURP, but preserves ejaculation and recovers faster. It is a trade-off of magnitude against function and downtime.
-
Re-treatment down the line
A minority of men need further treatment years later as the prostate keeps growing. The implants do not prevent a laser or resection procedure in future if needed.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of urologists, we picked them.
Consultant urological surgeons with a real prostatic urethral lift practice, across London and the major UK cities. Introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every urologist in our network.
-
Consultant urologists with an established prostatic urethral lift practice and good case-selection judgement
-
Flexible cystoscopy on site to size the gland and check for an obstructing median lobe before booking
-
Honest comparison with laser, resection and medication rather than a one-technique pitch
-
Day-case pathways with clear catheter-free planning and rapid post-procedure review
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards - honestly.
The lift is one of the gentlest prostate procedures, but it is not for every gland and its flow gains are more modest than tissue-removing surgery. Here is the honest picture.
-
A gentle, minimally invasive procedure
The lift involves no cutting, heating or removal of prostate tissue. It is usually a 15–30 minute day-case, often under local anaesthetic, with a quick recovery.
-
Temporary urinary symptoms
Some burning on passing urine, a little blood, and increased urgency or frequency are common in the first one to two weeks as the area settles. They usually resolve on their own.
-
Urinary infection
A urinary tract infection is an occasional early complication, treated with antibiotics. Call the team for fever, worsening pain or cloudy, offensive urine.
-
Sexual function preserved
The lift is designed to protect ejaculation and erections, and studies show it does so far better than laser or resection surgery - a central reason men choose it.
-
Smaller flow gains than tissue removal
Symptom and flow improvements are real but on average less than with HoLEP, GreenLight or TURP. This trade-off is discussed honestly before you decide.
-
Not for every gland
Very large prostates, a big obstructing median lobe unsuitable for the technique, or a bladder that has already failed are better served by a tissue-removing operation.
-
Possible need for re-treatment
Because the prostate keeps growing, a minority of men need further treatment over the following years. The implants do not block future laser or resection surgery.
-
Rarely, an implant issue
Very occasionally an implant is poorly sited or encrusted and needs adjustment. This is uncommon in experienced hands and easily managed.
-
Red flags after the procedure
Inability to pass urine, heavy or persistent bleeding, fever, or severe pain need the same-day team or A&E, not a routine call.
Reading your procedure note
Your procedure note in four parts. Read the last one first.
However many implants were placed and whichever anaesthetic you had, the note the urologist sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Procedure language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the procedure note and your flow results before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication and gland assessment
Why the lift was chosen, your symptom scores, and the gland size and shape found at cystoscopy that made you suitable.
- 02 Technique
Implants placed
How many implants were used and where - the number reflects your prostate size and shape, and is worth keeping for any future treatment.
- 03 Findings
Anatomy and any median lobe
What the urologist saw inside - the degree of obstruction, whether a central lobe was present, and how the channel opened after the implants.
- 04 Impression
Aftercare and follow-up
Read this first: your catheter plan (often none), what to expect in the first two weeks, and your flow re-check and review appointment.
Recognised by major UK insurers
The prostatic urethral lift is usually covered when medically indicated for benign prostate enlargement. Implant numbers and anaesthetic choice can affect the quote, so we confirm your benefit before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about the lift.
Quick answers on how it works, sexual function, comparison with laser and TURP, catheters, suitability and cost.
-
What is a prostatic urethral lift and how does UroLift work?
It is a minimally invasive treatment for benign prostate enlargement. Through a telescope passed along the urethra, the urologist places small permanent implants that pull the enlarged side lobes of the prostate apart, holding the urinary channel open. Nothing is cut, heated or removed - the implants simply act like tiny retainers, so urine flows more freely. Most men have between two and six implants depending on gland size.
-
Will it affect my ejaculation or erections?
This is the main reason men choose it. Because no tissue is cut or removed, the prostatic urethral lift is designed to preserve both ejaculation and erectile function, and clinical studies confirm it does so far better than laser or resection surgery, which commonly cause retrograde ejaculation. If keeping your sexual function matters, the lift is the option that protects it.
-
How does UroLift compare with HoLEP, GreenLight or TURP?
Tissue-removing operations such as HoLEP, GreenLight laser and TURP generally give larger and more durable improvements in flow, but they usually cause retrograde ejaculation and need a catheter afterwards. The lift gives smaller average gains and a small chance of needing re-treatment later, but preserves sexual function, is often catheter-free, and has the fastest recovery. It is a genuine trade-off, which we talk through against your gland and your priorities.
-
Is it painful, and will I need a catheter?
The procedure is usually done under local anaesthetic with light sedation and is well tolerated; general or spinal anaesthetic is available if you prefer. A great advantage over other prostate operations is that many men need no catheter at all, because no tissue is removed. Where a catheter is used it typically comes out within a day or two. Some burning and urgency are common for a week or so afterwards.
-
Am I suitable for the lift?
It suits men with bothersome symptoms from benign enlargement whose prostate is generally under about 100 cc and without a large obstructing central (median) lobe - although a dedicated technique now treats many median lobes too. Suitability is confirmed with a flexible cystoscopy that sizes and inspects the gland. Men in urinary retention, with a failing bladder, or with very large glands are usually better served by a tissue-removing operation.
-
How much does UroLift cost privately in the UK, and does the NHS offer it?
Privately, a prostatic urethral lift typically costs £4,000–£6,000 under local anaesthetic, rising to around £7,500 under general anaesthetic or for larger glands needing more implants, plus any assessment scans. The NHS offers the prostatic urethral lift for suitable men, as recommended by NICE; the private route mainly offers choice of urologist and timing. We confirm a firm figure within one working day.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
-
HoLEP
Holmium laser enucleation for large benign glands.
Learn more -
GreenLight laser prostatectomy
Laser vaporisation for benign enlargement.
Learn more -
Prostatectomy
The full overview of prostate-removal surgery.
Learn more -
Overactive bladder injections
For urgency and frequency not from obstruction.
Learn more -
Urethral stricture dilatation
Optilume balloon for a narrowed urethra.
Learn more -
All tests & procedures
Every test and procedure we arrange.
Learn more