“The King was admitted to a London clinic this morning for planned treatment,” Buckingham Palace said on Friday morning. “His Majesty would like to thank all those who have sent their good wishes.”
Charles was also pleased to learn that making his diagnosis public had a positive impact on public health awareness, the palace said. Last week he announced that Charles was to be treated in hospital for an enlarged prostate. The announcement of the diagnosis was considered unusual. However, the king is said to have decided to do this in order to encourage other men to have themselves examined.
Charles arrived at the London Clinic, where his daughter-in-law Princess Kate is also being treated. She had recently had abdominal surgery. Her diagnosis remained private, but it is not said to be cancer. According to the PA news agency, Charles also visited his daughter-in-law there.
Minimally invasive procedure
Many older men have prostate enlargement that requires treatment. In Germany the number is estimated at 25 to 35 percent of 60 to 80 year olds. The cause of their enlargement is not yet fully understood. The enlarged prostate does not cause any direct symptoms, but is noticeable through a narrowing of the urethra, a weak urinary stream and more frequent urge to urinate, even at night.
Depending on the stage of the disease, various medications or ultimately surgical interventions, which are usually minimally invasive, can help. Erectile function is impaired in less than one percent of men. According to German urologist Maurice Stephan Michel, fertility suffers massively. In 80 percent of those operated on, at least some of the ejaculation goes into the urinary bladder following the operation and is excreted.
