Farooq Khan: Consultant Urological Surgeon in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire

Training and experience

Mr Farooq Khan excelled in his basic medical training at University College Hospital London Medical School in 1996, graduating with distinction. During this time he also completed an Intercalated BSc in Anatomy and Developmental Biology, undertaking research on nerve regeneration. Following his basic surgical training at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, he moved on to undertake urological research at the Royal Free Hospital in London before entering his higher surgical training on the Cambridge urology rotation (2003-2010).  

Mr Khan was appointed Consultant Urological Surgeon at Luton & Dunstable NHS Foundation Trust in 2010.  His main interest is laser prostate surgery (Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate – HoLEP) and the delivery of treatments for an enlarged prostate (BPH – benign prostatic hyperplasia) including Rezum, Urolift (in association with a colleague) and Aquablation. He led the development and widespread acceptance of the use of low power HoLEP in the UK using initially a 50-Watt laser machine and, more recently, an understanding across surgeons that lower power delivers an effective balance between technique , training and efficiency in theatres. He was the leading user of the 50-Watt laser for HoLEP surgery and has performed the highest number in the UK with this low power laser; in total his unit has completed over 2000 cases to date.

Mr Khan’s ethos in this regard is to promote the safe and competent delivery of laser prostate surgery to other surgeons so that many more patients can benefit from HoLEP. To this end, he is a national training mentor and senior faculty member on an annual HoLEP training course and he travels the UK to support the transfer of this skill to Consultant colleagues. He has presented his unit’s data at the British, European and American Urological Associations international meetings. He has found the process hugely rewarding and satisfying as a clinician, in particular the move from a 2-3 day hospital stay for TURP to, on average, 18 hours for HoLEP, at the same time producing superior clinical results for patients.

Along with his main interest in HoLEP surgery, Mr Khan offers the breadth of treatments for BPH, including minimally invasive surgical treatments called Urolift and Rezum (steam therapy to shrink the prostate), as well as the newer treatment of Aquablation, that are helpful in the suitably counselled and selected patient in preserving sexual function, an increasing desire for many younger men troubled by BPH. Mr Khan strongly believes in offering the most suitable treatment for the patient’s needs and prostate size. In surgery there is a very simple adage; choose well, cut well, get well.

As well as his passionate interest in BPH and HoLEP surgery, Mr Khan provides a full range of general urology services, including prostate cancer diagnostics, blood in the urine (haematuria) investigations, scrotal swellings, erectile dysfunction, urine infections including prostatitis and kidney stone disease. He has performed over 1000 ureteroscopies for stone disease and over 40 keyhole kidney stone surgeries ((percutaneous nephrolithotomies – PCNL), as well as annually completing over 120 circumcisions/revision circumcisions in the private sector alone.

Informally, Mr Khan led the financial turnaround of his NHS department that reversed a loss of £1.1 million to a profit of £250,000 over two years. This was achieved by leading the introduction of new surgical techniques that shortened bed occupancy (laser prostate surgery), repatriating high tariff work back to the department (keyhole stone surgery), moving certain procedures to a day-case setting (flexible cystoscopy), running theatre sessions more efficiently, but above all, accounting and capturing for all clinical activity to fairly represent the income generated. In part for this work, his contribution was recognised with multiple Clinical Excellence Awards.

Mr Khan was formerly the Course Director for the urology modules at the Royal College of Surgeons of England that is run twice a year in Lincolns Inn Field. He organised the course content and liaised with invited faculty over a two-day period, delivering a high-quality urology core training skills course that received excellent validated feedback. He continues to be an invited senior faculty member for the regional specialist registrars teaching in East Anglia, as well as training in a European HoLEP training centre in Dusseldorf.

Mr Khan’s work ethos has been to ensure the best cost-effective delivery for NHS provision of services and, at the same time, emulating that in the private sector, such that the two will merge into one – a high-class service for both sectors. With 15 years’ experience as a Consultant Urological Surgeon, he has managed to support and lead his NHS department, whilst simultaneously building and developing his interest in laser prostate surgery and BPH services, both in the NHS and private sector.

Treatments

Mr Farooq Khan is a recognised expert in the field of urology and has over 20 years of clinical experience. He believes in a holistic approach to care, and provides a comprehensive range of treatments including:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia treatments, including Rezum, Urolift and Aquablation
• Circumcision and revision circumcision
• Cystoscopy
• Epididymal cyst removal
• Kidney and ureteric stone removal (ureteroscopy and keyhole kidney stone surgery – PCNL with a colleague)
• Kidney stone treatment (with laser)
• Peyronie's disease consultations
• Prostate cancer diagnostics, including PSA testing and multiparametric MRI of the prostate
• Prostate surgery (using Holmium Laser)
• Prostate surgery (TURP)
• Varicocele surgery
• Vasectomy (male sterilisation)

Consultation

Mr Khan is available for private consultation at Spire Harpenden Hospital, OSD Healthcare and The Cobham Clinic.

Mr Khan is accredited by all the major healthcare insurers (BUPA, AXA, PPP, Cigna, etc). His fee for initial consultation is £240 for self-funding patients and he adheres to insurance companies fee schedule.

Research interests

Mr Khan’s research into the close relationship of the neuro-vascular bundles responsible for erectile function to the seminal vesicles and prostate gland, published in Clinical Anatomy, has played a role in the greater understanding of nerve preservation during radical prostatectomy, and more recently complemented interest in total and partial seminal vesicle sparing radical prostatectomy. His work on prostate cancer diagnosis and staging has also been published as original articles in leading international journals. He has been asked to provide book chapters on both topics on several occasions.

Mr Farooq Khan in the media

Mr Khan has an interesting claim to fame in that he was shadowed by the original actors for the medical drama Holby City whilst he was a junior doctor at Papworth Hospital in Cambridge. In addition he has written articles for the Embarrassing Bodies doctors magazine.

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