Reddington Hospital performs first keyhole prostate cancer surgery in sub-Saharan Africa

The Redddington Hospital Group, Lagos, has again raised the bar in quality and affordable health care delivery service in Nigeria with the successful conduct of first Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy in sub-Saharan Africa.

Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy is a minimally invasive surgery procedure used to remove a patient’s cancerous prostate. Laparoscopic surgery differs from traditional open surgery by making five small incisions as opposed to a large one to perform the surgery. This leads to less blood loss, less abdominal trauma, faster recovery rate and better cosmetic outcomes.

Prof. Kingsley Ekwueme, a consultant urological and robotic surgeon and clinical lead surgeon for Urology at GlanClwyd Hospital in Wales, United Kingdom who collaborated with the Reddington Hospital on the project, said prostate cancer is more prevalent among blacks than caucasians even though figures show higher rates in Europe and the Americas due to high rate of testing.

Prof. Ekwueme said prostate cancer is the number one killer among Nigerian men followed by breast cancer for women. He said hypothetically, there is one male suffering from prostate cancer in Nigeria in nine out of 10 homes in Nigeria.

Ekwueme said the collaboration with Reddington Hospital will reduce medical tourism and capital flight as the hospital has the cutting edge medical technology for laparoscopic radical prostatectomy which is cheaper than robotic surgery but gives equal result.

According to him, it costs as much as 30 thousand pounds for one session of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in the United Kingdom and majority of Nigerian men have been his patients. This does not include the cost for flight for the patient and accompanying family member and accommodation.  This is a far cry from an equivalent of 1000 pounds charged in Nigeria for the prostate surgery. He said a prostate cancer patient duly operated will not lose his erection and can function very well with his spouse.

Ekwueme said conversation is ongoing with the Reddington Hospital to fully maximise the medical equipment and expertise in the hospital to establish a prostate cancer and diagnostic facility at the hospital.

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He urged men above 40 years old to go for regular tests to know their PSA (prostate- specific antigen) level as early detection will ensure survival of the patient.

Mr. Emmanuel Matthews , Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Reddington Hospital Group said the hospital has consistently invested in cutting edge technology and attracting best medical expertise in Nigeria and in the Diaspora to ensure that the hospital maintains global best practice and ensure affordable health care.

Mr. Matthew said Reddington Group has over the years pioneered medical breakthroughs in Nigeria like the 66 year old man, Mr. Oluwatoyin Adebiyi who, in 2020, successfully underwent a complex heart surgery involving a coronary artery bypass graft and mitral valve repair.

The patient, an elderly man (names withheld) who went through the Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy said he is highly elated at the success of the surgery, noting he could walk, eat and was feeling very well.

“Though I have the resources to go abroad for this surgery but I came to Reddington Hospital on recommendation and I am very satisfied”, he said.