Where Can I Find Prostate Cancer Support Groups
Even though once you complete the surgery you most likely will find yourself cancer-free, the anxiety and stress may never totally go away. The support of your friends and family is essential in these moments, but the most relief you will find is among people that have gone through the same experience.
We advise you to search locally for prostate cancer or cancer survivors support groups and discuss your journey in beating this. You will find there plenty of people that lived through the same emotions and painful experiences and you will gather your strength to overcome this and not let it define the rest of your life.
If physical presence is not an option for you, there are plenty of forums and online communities that gather around this subject. You can find people that share their experiences and advice below:
- https://www.cancerforums.net/forums/14-Prostate-Cancer-Forum
- http://community.prostatecanceruk.org/
- http://www.topix.com/forum/health/prostate-cancer
Prostate cancer surgery is not as severe of a surgery as other ones. The recovery, especially after robotic surgery, usually lasts up to 2 to 3 weeks and patients can return to work and to living their normal lives.
How Will My Urinary Catheter Feel
The end of your penis where the catheter comes out may not feel comfortable. Make sure to be gentle when washing the end of your penis. You may have been given leg straps. Use the leg straps to help keep your catheter from moving too much. This will lessen your discomfort. If the tip of your penis gets sore, try applying some water-based lubricant, such as plain K-Y Jelly, to keep the catheter from sticking to the tip of your penis. If this does not work, call your doctor or health care team. Your doctor or health care team will be able to give you other helpful suggestions. Do not use any other lotion, cream, or ointment on the tip of your penis before talking to your doctor or health care team.
How Fast Will I Become Totally Continent After Prostate Surgery
During surgery for prostate cancer, the urethra is also affected and, depending on the experience of the surgeon, more or less of the continence function will be preserved. Due to the high precision of robotic surgery, the patient will have a catheter for roughly one week and the trauma to the urinary function will be minimum.
The discomfort that patients feel during this time is minimum, but you should expect the removal to make you feel uneasy. The catheter will be removed during a visit to your doctor, so do not try to do this at home, as it could cause infections. The degree of which the urinary function will be affected depends on how normal the function was before surgery, age and weight.
It is worth noting that most men will experience some degree of incontinence after prostate surgery, but control can be regained within several weeks or months to a year.
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Surgical Methods For Performing A Prostatectomy
Traditionally, prostatectomies are carried out by open surgery, in which the surgeon makes a single, long incision in the skin and then removes the prostate gland and any other required surrounding tissues. However, due to technological advancements, it has become possible to carry out a prostatectomy using less invasive methods such as laparoscopic surgery , or its subtype, robotic prostatectomy.
Good to know: In cases where only part of the prostate is to be removed, it is possible to perform the procedure without cutting into the surrounding skin at all. For example, a transurethral resection of the prostate can be performed by inserting a thin tube called a resectoscope into the bladder through the urethra to remove the prostate tissue.
The three main surgical methods of prostatectomy are:
Drinking Plenty Of Water
This will help ensure that the urinary system functions as healthily as possible while it is recovering from surgery and will also keep the body hydrated. Taking care to stay hydrated is also necessary, because the affected person will be using stool softener in the postoperative period to avoid constipation.
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Cost Of Enlarged Prostate Treatment Without Insurance
At New York Urology Specialists, we offer affordable treatment for men. Our;prices are low;for;patients without insurance;and for those who have high insurance copays, high deductibles, or insurance plans that do not cover treatment costs.;
At New York Urology Specialists, we offer a flat-fee all-cost-includedRezum procedure.; The procedure is performed in our office under local anesthesia. Men from other states can save thousands of dollars over local hospital fees by coming to New York Urology Specialists for treatment.; Please contact us for current prices and discounts for patients without insurance or with high insurance deductibles.
At New York Urology Specialists, we offer a flat-fee all-cost-includedUrolift procedure.; The procedure is performed in our office under local anesthesia. Men from other states can save thousands of dollars over local hospital fees by coming to New York Urology Specialists for treatment.;
What Is The Prostate Gland And Why Is A Prostatectomy Performed
A prostatectomy is performed in order to treat a variety of conditions which can affect the prostate gland. This gland is the size of a walnut and is located inside the male body, beneath the bladder and between the bladder and the penis.
Women also have a gland which is equivalent to it, commonly referred to in medicine as the paraurethral gland or Skeneâs gland, but they are much less likely to be affected by problems in this area than men.
In healthy males, the prostate gland produces prostate fluid, one of the main components of semen. It also contains muscle fibres. During ejaculation, it functions to push the semen into the urethra, the duct which conveys both urine and semen out of the body.
Prostate problems most commonly develop in later life, predominantly affecting men over 50 years of age. Problems, which may be addressed by a prostatectomy, include prostate cancer, enlargement and inflammation . If you are concerned that you, or a loved one, may be experiencing problems related to the prostate, get a free symptom assessment by downloading the Ada app.
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How Is Postoperative Bleeding Diagnosed
Your healthcare provider will look for the source of your bleeding. He will ask about your health, and if you or anyone in your family has a bleeding disorder. He will ask what medicines you take, including over-the-counter medicines, and vitamin or herbal supplements. You may also need any of the following:
- Blood tests may be done to show how well your blood clots.
- Procedures such as endoscopy and angiography may be used to find the source of your bleeding, or to control it. An endoscope is a long, bendable tube with a light on the end of it. An angiogram is a picture of your arteries. You may be given a dye to help the blood vessels show up better. Tell the healthcare provider if you have ever had an allergic reaction to contrast dye.
- Surgery may be done in the same area to pinpoint where the blood is coming from.
Risks Of Prostate Surgery
The risks with any type of radical prostatectomy are much like those of any major surgery. Problems during or shortly after the operation can include:
- Reactions to anesthesia
- Blood clots in the legs or lungs
- Damage to nearby organs
- Infections at the surgery site.
Rarely, part of the intestine might be injured during surgery, which could lead to infections in the abdomen and might require more surgery to fix. Injuries to the intestines are more common with laparoscopic and robotic surgeries than with the open approach.
If lymph nodes are removed, a collection of lymph fluid can form and may need to be drained.
In extremely rare cases, a man can die because of complications of this operation. Your risk depends, in part, on your overall health, your age, and the skill of your surgical team.
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Why Might I Need Turp
TURP is most often done to relieve symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate.This is often due to benign prostate hyperplasia . BPH is not cancer.It is a common part of aging. When the prostate gland is enlarged, it canpress against the urethra and interfere with or block the passage of urineout of the body.
Sometimes a TURP is done to treat symptoms only, not to cure the disease.For example, if youre unable to urinate because of prostate cancer, butsurgery to remove the prostate isnt an option for you, you may need aTURP.
There may be other reasons for your healthcare provider to recommend aTURP.
Are There Side Effects From Having A Urinary Catheter
Yes, there can be side effects or unwanted changes in your body when you use a urinary catheter. Side effects are different from person to person. Some people have no or very mild side effects. The good news is that there are ways to deal with most of the side effects. There are several side effects that you may have if you have a urinary catheter. They are bladder spasms, blood in your urine, and infections.
Bladder spasms. Sometimes, men have bladder spasms while the catheter is in their penis. Bladder spasms may feel like bad cramps or pains in the area above your pubic hair or in your rectum and can hurt. These spasms may be caused by the catheter bothering your bladder. If you have a bladder spasm, sometimes urine will leak around your catheter. If this happens you may want to put a towel on your bed to protect your mattress. Call your doctor or health care team right away if you start having bladder spasms. Your doctor can give you medicine that will stop the spasms. When the catheter is taken out, the bladder spasms will stop.
Urinary tract infections. Infections of the urinary tract are very common. An infection is when germs enter your body causing you to have a fever or pain, redness, and swelling in one part of your body. To lower your risk of getting an infection:
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What Changes Do I Need To Make To My Diet
Discuss your post-surgery diet with your doctor as you will probably want to avoid or at least minimize issues such as constipation. The lack of exercise, the medication, even the stress, might affect your bowel functions. Your diet will be focused on eating more vegetables, fruits, grains and avoiding meat, especially the red one, pasta, alcohol, fast-food, sugar and processed desserts.
How Do I Clean My Urinary Catheter
You need to wash your penis and the whole catheter tube gently with soap and warm water two times a day. It will be easier to remember to do this regularly if you plan to do it in the morning and before you go to bed at night. You may clean your penis and whole catheter tube this with warm soapy water and a wash cloth or in the shower. Do not take a tub bath while you have your catheter in place. It is important to keep your penis and the catheter clean so that you do not get an infection. Cleaning your catheter in the shower. When you take a shower to clean your catheter:
- Do not use very hot or cold water when you shower.
- Wash your penis and the catheter tubing very gently. Be careful not to pull or tug on the tubing.
Cleaning your skin and catheter out of the shower.
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What Is A Transurethral Resection Of The Prostate
The prostate gland is found only in males. It sits below the bladder andwraps around the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine out ofthe body. The prostate helps produce semen.
A transurethral resection of the prostate is surgery to remove partsof the prostate gland through the penis. No incisions are needed.
The surgeon reaches the prostate by putting an instrument into the end ofthe penis and through the urethra. This instrument, called a resectoscope,is about 12 inches long and .5 inch in diameter. It contains a lightedcamera and valves that control irrigating fluid. It also contains anelectrical wire loop that cuts tissue and seals blood vessels. The wireloop is guided by the surgeon to remove the tissue blocking the urethra onepiece at a time. The pieces of tissue are carried by the irrigating fluidinto the bladder and then flushed out at the end of the procedure.
When To See A Doctor
Most people begin to feel better and have an improved urine flow within 4 to 6 weeks after TURP surgery.
Overall, the risk of serious complications after TURP surgery is quite low. But as with all surgeries, there are some potential health risks associated with the procedure that require medical attention and intervention.
Reasons to seek medical attention after TURP surgery include:
- bleeding from the urethra, outer prostate, or penis
- inflammation and pain in the urethra, prostate, or penis lasting longer than 2 weeks or worsening
- reduced urine flow or urinary symptoms, such as incontinence or urinary urgency 6 weeks post-surgery
- blood in the urine that is severe or lasts longer than 4 to 6 weeks
- severe clots of blood in urine or urine that is entirely red
- weakness and fatigue that does not improve after 4 weeks
- impotence or erectile dysfunction
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About Your Prostate Surgery
A radical prostatectomy is a surgery to remove your entire prostate gland and seminal vesicles. Some of the lymph nodes in your pelvis are removed as well. This is done to prevent cancer from spreading from your prostate to other parts of your body.
A radical prostatectomy can be done in 1 of 2 ways. One way is through an open incision , which is called an open prostatectomy. Another way is to use a laparoscope, which is a tube-like instrument with a camera. Your surgeon will talk with you about the best surgery option for you.
Open prostatectomy
In an open prostatectomy, your surgeon will make an incision that goes from your pubic bone towards your belly button . Theyll remove the pelvic lymph nodes first, followed by the prostate gland, and then the structures next to it.
Figure 2. Open prostatectomy incisions
Laparoscopic or robotic-assisted prostatectomy
During a laparoscopic or robotic-assisted prostatectomy, your surgeon will make several small incisions in your abdomen . Theyll insert a laparoscope into 1 of the incisions and use gas to expand your abdomen. Surgical instruments will be inserted into the other incisions to remove the prostate. Some surgeons at MSK are specially trained to use a robotic device to assist with this procedure.
Figure 3. Laparoscopic or robotic-assisted prostatectomy incisions
What Is A Prostatectomy
A prostatectomy is a major procedure, carried out by a urological surgeon , in which all or part of the prostate gland is removed in men. It can be ordered by your doctor to treat prostate cancer and as part of treating some of the other types of cancer that can affect the pelvic region.
A prostatectomy can often cure prostate cancer if it has not spread outside the prostate gland. Prostatectomies are also performed in the treatment of non-cancerous conditions affecting the prostate, such as:
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia , when the gland becomes enlarged and causes urinary problems
- Prostatitis, in which it becomes inflamed
There are several different types of prostatectomy. The prostate surgery option used depends on why the procedure is being performed:
- A radical prostatectomy will be carried out as a treatment for malignant cancer. The surgeon will remove the entire prostate gland as well as the vas deferens, the duct which conveys sperm from the testicals to the urethra, and the seminal vesicles, the glands which hold the liquid which mixes with sperm to make semen.
- A simple prostatectomy, in which only part of the prostate is removed, will be carried out to treat a more benign condition, such as BPH.
Removal of the prostate may result in complications, including impotence, which in most cases is temporary. Several different types of treatment exist to help correct erectile dysfunction after the operation. This is called penile rehabilitation therapy.
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Bleeding After Prostatectomy: Endovascular Management
Anna Maria Ierardi1, Maria Laura Jannone1, Pietro Maria Brambillasca1, Stefania Zannoni1, Giovanni Damiani2, Umberto G. Rossi3, Antonio Maria Granata4, Mario Petrillo1, Gianpaolo Carrafiello1
1Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Department, San Paolo Hospital, University of Milan 3Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Interventional Radiology Unit, E.O. Galliera Hospital 4Department of Urology, ASST Fatebene Fratelli-Sacco, Milan , Italy
Contributions: Conception and design: AM Ierardi, G Carrafiello; Administrative support: None; Provision of study materials or patients: AM Ierardi, ML Jannone; Collection and assembly of data: ML Jannone, PM Brambillasca, M Petrillo, AM Granata, AM Ierardi; Data analysis and interpretation: UG Rossi, G Damiani, AM Ierardi; Manuscript writing: All authors; Final approval of manuscript: All authors.
Correspondence to:
Background: To evaluate role of interventional radiology in post-surgical haemorrhagic complications of prostatectomy.
Methods: A retrospective study was performed. From April 2015 to January 2018, 10 patients referred to IR Department for haemorrhagic complications post radical prostatectomy . All patients were successfully treated with superselective trans-arterial embolization. We evaluated technical and clinical success and post procedural complications.
The endovascular management of significant haemorrhage after prostatectomy is safe and long-term effective, with no major ischaemic events associated to embolization.