Welbeck launches integrated male fertility hub

Welbeck has expanded its Urology & Men’s Health services in London with the launch of an integrated male fertility hub and a new injectable treatment for early-stage Peyronie’s disease.

The male fertility hub, based at Welbeck’s Urology & Men’s Health centre in Marylebone, brings semen analysis, hormone testing, imaging, physical examination and, where required, surgical treatment together within one service. The model is intended to reduce the need for separate referrals and delays between diagnosis and treatment.

A range of treatments are on offer including vasectomy reversal, varicocele repair and sperm retrieval procedures including PESA and micro-TESE.

Professor Asif Muneer, andrology lead at the British Fertility Society and a consultant at Welbeck Urology & Men’s Health, said around 30% of fertility issues are attributable solely to the male partner.

He said fertility investigation and treatment pathways had traditionally been built around women, adding that bringing the different stages of male fertility care into one location could reduce the time patients spend waiting between investigations and treatment.

Alongside the fertility service, Welbeck has introduced Perovial, a licensed injectable treatment for men in the acute phase of Peyronie’s disease. The condition is caused by scar tissue forming in the penis and can result in pain, curvature and difficulty with erections.

The treatment uses hyaluronic acid injected into affected tissue with the aim of reducing inflammation and softening scarring before the disease enters a more stable phase. The outpatient procedure is performed under local anaesthetic and takes between 15 and 30 minutes, typically as part of a short course of treatment.

Mr Varun Sahdev, consultant urologist and andrologist, said the injectable treatment provides an option for intervening during the earlier stages of the disease, rather than waiting for the condition to stabilise before treatment is considered.

Welbeck’s flagship centre at 1 Welbeck Street opened in 2019 and works with more than 350 clinicians across 14 specialist centres. New centres are due to open in Oxford and Cambridge this year representing a combined investment of more than £50m.