Southampton surgeon wins prestigious national award

A leading Southampton surgeon has received a prestigious national award for the contribution he has made to his specialty.

Professor Bhaskar Somani, a consultant urological surgeon at University Hospital Southampton (UHS), has received the Golden Telescope Award from the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS).

The annual award – which has been running for more than 20 years – recognises excellence in young urologists for exceptional work within the first 10 years of their consultant appointment.

Urology is a branch of medicine that diagnoses and treats disorders of the kidneys, ureters (tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder), bladder, prostate and male reproductive organs.

Prof Somani, who is also a professor of urology at the University of Southampton, has performed more than 2,000 procedures to treat kidney stones, known as ureteroscopies, since joining the Trust in 2012.

His outcomes show a stone-free rate of 96% and a minor complication rate of 4%, with nearly 80% of patients being able to go home on the same day as their surgery.

He is also the clinical director of the south coast's lithotripsy services – a treatment that uses shock waves to break down kidney stones – with more than 2,500 procedures carried out under his supervision since 2012.

He has led on a number of significant studies and developments including a ‘pop dusting technique’ to remove kidney stones and a less invasive technique to remove large kidney stones in children.

He also regularly campaigns and speaks out about kidney-related health conditions to help raise awareness and improve health for those who are at higher risk of developing problems.

“I am absolutely delighted to receive this year’s Golden Telescope Award,” said Prof Somani, who is ranked as the world’s leading expert in ureteroscopy and stone treatment according to Expertscape.

“It is a great honour and I'm incredibly grateful to have my achievements acknowledged by this national body.

“I also feel very grateful to work with such a fantastic team at UHS and this award is particularly significant for me and the Trust as it is the first time it has been presented to someone in the south of England.”

He added: “Patients are at the heart of everything I do and it is because of them I strive towards delivering world-class care and excellence in research and development which will ultimately help to improve outcomes and people’s lives.”