Mr Tevita Aho

Written by a patient at Addenbrooke's Hospital

Three months on from HoLEP and my wife and I were back in Addenbrooke's for the review appointment. Things could not be better. Officially, I can pee like a 17 year old and my life is no longer dominated by urgency, slow and painful passing of urine and the constant planning and compromises that go along with BPH. I still get up a couple of times during the night but that's better than a score of 5 or 6; the process is rapid and comfortable and we understand from Mr Aho that it may yet improve. And it was a real pleasure to see Mr Aho himself, and to try to express our gratitude, however inadequately, for being given back so much of my own and our shared life. Thanksgiving would be a better word. Oh yes, and one small observation on an unexpected benefit. I have suffered from Ulcerative Colitis for a number of years and, having lost responsiveness to a string of treatments, was not doing particularly well on Vedolizumab. For those unfamiliar with the condition, frequent and painful bowel movements (BMs) are the least of it: as a hobby, I don't recommend it. Starting from the weeks before surgery when I was catheterised and now having undergone HoLEP, the pattern of BMs is much reduced and very much in line with what would be regarded as 'normal'. My guess is that the angry, over-active urinary system was inciting the bowel to rebellion. I appreciate that this will not be of interest to many but to a few it might be a useful experience.

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Written by a patient at Nuffield Hospital Cambridge

Thanks to God alone without partners who guided the hands and heart of Mr. Aho in my prostate and bladder stone surgery and for giving him the talent that separates him from all other BPH surgeons in the world. My review of Mr. Aho goes beyond any cognitive-related comments, for his medical expertise, global reputation for excellence, and his more than 2,000 successful HoLEP procedures speaks more about him than I could. No, my comments are about the emotional and psychological aspects of being treated by Mr. Aho. What I mean to say is that I am a retired professor from the USA who did all the reading and research before deciding to contact Mr. Aho's office in Cambridge through his very professional personal secretary Ms. Janice. I could have selected any American surgeon as a private American patient, but I chose Mr. Aho over all others -- even those surgeons at the famous USA clinics whose names I'm sure any reader knows -- because Mr. Aho is the world expert on HoLEP. When I arrived to Nuffield Hospital for my appointment, I discovered a very humble, gentle, and meticulous surgeon and human being who explained to me all aspects of the surgery and put my mind and heart at ease. I felt his self confidence, and that gave me confidence in his abilities and, most importantly, his caring attitude. There's the old saying, "I don't care how much you know; I want to know how much you care." Mr. Aho's behavior lives up to and goes beyond that sentiment. The next major point is benefitting of his vast experience. My prostate was huge (approximately 400+ grams) and I had a 1 cm stone in my bladder. The surgery lasted more than 3 hours, and he "fixed up": my prostate problem and removed the stone intact as a whole (a remarkable feat, as I understand; rather than using the laser to dust the stone). All of that without any scapel incisions. But here comes the best part: He was right there in my hospital room, later that same day around 7 pm to assure me about the surgery. He personally did some irrigation of the tubes leading out from my bladder. But that's not all. Next morning, around 6 am, I had just finished my morning prayers and in he walks, his face looking so fresh and glowing. There he was to again personally flush, clean and then remove the catheter. I sensed that his doing it personally was not the normal routine, as I listened and looked at the nurse attending for she looked surprised that Mr. Aho was there at 6 am and removing the catheter himself. "I want to do this myself this morning," he told the nurse. In the USA, this kind of concern, dedication, and personal responsibility are rarely seen, but after speaking with the nurses on duty and an administrative personal at Nuffield Hospital, it is confirmed that this is Mr. Aho's standard behavior. A further example illustrating his caring attitude was his immediate response (in less than 1 hour) to my email regarding some follow up plans. The photo on this site, and in his YouTube videos is dated. He's rocking long hair, falling below his ear lobes, a genuine smile, and a gentle demeanor that makes me a big fan of his. Peace to him and all who read this. Based on what I experienced from Mr. Aho's behavior as his patient, I am wondering, too, if I should at least visit New Zealand (his home country), or actually relocate there. Beyond his role in life as a surgeon, the world needs more PEOPLE like him to make it a better place. Daniel

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Written by a carer at Addenbrooke's Hospital

Mr Tev Aho performed HoLEP surgery on my husband on 23 November 2019. The surgery was necessary because a very enlarged prostate had led to my husband being catheterised which, in turn, had led to urosepsis problems. My husband is immuno-suppressed through treatment for another medical condition and catheterisation is high risk for him. Waiting lists for prostate surgery in our home country meant that we had no choice but to seek private treatment. Internet research led us to Mr Tev Aho and to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge. From our first email to Mr Aho we experienced nothing but understanding, sympathy, respect and clinical excellence. His leaflet on the HoLEP procedure was so clear and informative. When we met with him he dealt with all our questions honestly and openly and there was never any sense of being rushed. With prostate problems the emphasis is, of course, on the patient but wives and partners are also very involved and suffer many concerns, hence my reason for submitting this review as the wife of a sufferer. Mr Aho gave us both time to explore issues and seek additional information from him. He was honest and reassuring about the possible effects of the HoLEP procedure on the intimate side of our relationship, something which is of great importance to us as a couple. We travelled to Addenbrookes on 19 November, surgery was on 23 November and we flew home on 26 November. In less than two weeks, my husband was able to pass urine as though there had never been a problem. Within six weeks, we were able to resume, with great joy, the sexual side of our relationship. We still cannot quite believe what a difference the HoLEP procedure has made to our lives. To any wives or partners who are in a similar situation to that which we were in, I can honestly say that I could not recommend Mr Aho highly enough. The HoLEP procedure has been transformative and we are full of gratitude.

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Listening

Written by a patient at Addenbrooke's Hospital

I had been suffering from BPH and kidney disease, had been treated for sepsis, had been catheterized, and told at my local hospital that the waiting time for TURP surgery and decatheterization was 2 or more years. (We found out later that this was incorrect.) I had previously read about Mr Aho's work, and particularly about his expertise in HoLEP surgery so my wife contacted Addenbrooke's Hospital to see if we could get more information. From the first contact everything went very smoothly. My wife exchanged emails with Mr Aho describing my full medical background (complicated,) and we got a very helpful document which described HoLEP, the possible problems that might arise, and the experiences of some previous patients. Mr Aho was able to offer a slot for surgery and suddenly a wait of two years had become five weeks. (This was of huge importance to me in dealing with the despair of facing a long period of catheterization.) We attended a consultation with Mr Aho in Addenbrooke's where our queries and concerns were listened to and answered fully. Four days later, I had HOLEP surgery, which was performed in Addenbrooke's, and expertly supported by the entire medical / nursing team. I was discharged the next day, unfortunately as one of the 10% of patients who have to be catheterized for a few days following the procedure. Following Mr Aho's advice, we stayed in Cambridge for a couple of nights and then flew home. A week later, the catheter was removed without any problems. A few weeks after that we got a letter saying that the lab tests on the removed tissue were fine. A few words on HoLEP, which is an amazing development for treating prostate enlargement. I had been very averse to TURP, partly because of the higher risk of infection (I'm immune-suppressed) and partly because of the possible consequences for other aspects of life. Since having HoLEP surgery I have felt healthy, can pee like a horse, don't have to plan my life around trips to the loo, and am otherwise unaffected. Throughout the period, Mr Aho's care was everything that we could have hoped or asked for. We felt that our fears and concerns were taken seriously, the whole experience of having the operation performed was very good, and the care afterwards was excellent. We are both enormously grateful.

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Written by a patient at Nuffield Hospital Cambridge

a wonderful man who changed my life for the better I had a HoLEP operation. I would recommend this operation for any men with over large prostates make sure you have Mr Aho

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