Transurethral Resection Of The Prostate : Home Recovery
Take it easy for the first month or so while you heal after transurethral resection of the prostate. During the first few weeks, you may feel burning when you pass urine. You may also feel like you have to urinate often. These sensations will go away. If your urine becomes bright red, it means that the treated area is bleeding. This may happen on and off for a month or so after a TURP. If this occurs, rest and drink plenty of fluids until the bleeding stops.
What To Expect After Surgery
A prostatectomy is major surgery from which your body needs time to recover. Your doctor will discuss the details of your recovery with you.
Typically patients stay in the hospital overnight after surgery and then need to recuperate at home for a month before returning to work. Most men can start to drive a few weeks after surgery. You should avoid heavy lifting for several weeks after surgery. It usually takes about six weeks for most men to feel back to normal.
This page provides general information about what you can expect in the first hours and days right after surgery. You may also want to read more about:
Side Effects Of Prostate Surgery
The major possible side effects of radical prostatectomy are urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction . These side effects can also occur with other forms of prostate cancer treatment.
Urinary incontinence: You may not be able to control your urine or you may have leakage or dribbling. Being incontinent can affect you not only physically but emotionally and socially as well. These are the major types of incontinence:
- Men with stress incontinence might leak urine when they cough, laugh, sneeze, or exercise. Stress incontinence is the most common type after prostate surgery. It’s usually caused by problems with the valve that keeps urine in the bladder . Prostate cancer treatments can damage this valve or the nerves that keep the valve working.
- Men with overflow incontinence have trouble emptying their bladder. They take a long time to urinate and have a dribbling stream with little force. Overflow incontinence is usually caused by blockage or narrowing of the bladder outlet by scar tissue.
- Men with urge incontinencehave a sudden need to urinate. This happens when the bladder becomes too sensitive to stretching as it fills with urine.
- Rarely after surgery, men lose all ability to control their urine. This is called continuous incontinence.
After surgery for prostate cancer, normal bladder control usually returns within several weeks or months. This recovery usually occurs slowly over time.
There are several options for treating erectile dysfunction:
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I Don’t Have Erections After Surgery Am I Impotent For Life
Think of your erections as a well conditioned athlete, who has been injured. This injury is going to take time to heal. You should try to remain patient, and remember that this will be an ongoing battle for many months and even years. Rehabilitation of potency is much like a sports injury. Proper conditioning and medical treatment may potentially speed up recovery, but it is not guaranteed.
If you see any fullness in your erections in the months after your robotic prostatectomy surgery, this is a positive sign that some of the nerves are working or re-growing. You are taking the first steps down the potency recovery path. Remember though, as shown in the previous table for open prostatectomy, 25-55% of men do not regain erections.
What Are The Risks Or Complications Of Radical Prostatectomy
Radical prostatectomy is generally very safe. Surgeons try to protect the nerves that run from the prostate to the penis. But problems due to nerve damage can occur. There is a risk that you may experience:
- Urinary incontinence: Some people experience urinary incontinence, although most people recover continence. Your provider can help you manage loss of bladder control and urine leakage.
- Erectile dysfunction: Many people have problems maintaining erections after this surgery. The likelihood of recovery of erectile function depends on your erections before surgery and your surgeons ability to spare the nerves that control erection at the time of surgery. You may need to use erectile dysfunction medications or other treatments. The older you are, the more likely problems may occur.
There is also a small risk that you may experience:
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Benefits Of Greenlight Laser Pvp
- Minimal bleeding
- Only 30% of patients need a post-op catheter
- Discharge on the same day
- Resume normal activities in 2 to 3 days with caution
- Return to vigorous activity level in 4 to 6 weeks
- Complications occur infrequently and are mild if they do
- Post-operative impotence has not been associated with PVP
- Retrograde ejaculation is less likely with PVP
- Erectile Dysfunction is not typical in PVP patients
- Long-term success in improved urine flow
- Fewer symptoms of urinary obstruction
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What To Expect After Prostate Removal
Prostate removal is an effective treatment option for prostate cancer. A radical prostatectomy, which removes the entire prostate gland as well as some surrounding tissue, takes a few hours to complete.
Here are three things you can expect after your prostate is removed.
Prostate removal is major surgery, so expect some soreness and pain. Youll receive IV pain medications at first, and your doctor may prescribe you pain medication to use at home. You will also have a urinary catheter in place for about the first week, which you might find uncomfortable.
Most patients are up and moving the day of surgery and go home the following day. Although you will need to rest and gradually resume physical activity, urologist Mina Fam, M.D., emphasizes the importance of movement. I want patients up and walking the same day of surgery because any kind of cancer surgery has a risk for blood clotting, Dr. Fam says. I encourage patients to keep walking during their recovery.
Expect it to take about four weeks to start feeling back to your normal self if your surgery was done robotically and up to six weeks with a traditional open approach.
Treatment options include:
- Counseling
Work with your doctor to find a treatment that is right for you.
Another change to expect in your sex life is that, because the seminal vesicles are removed during surgery, you wont ejaculate semen during orgasm.
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Reasons To Have Prostate Surgery
One of the most common reasons for having prostate surgery, or a prostatectomy, is to treat prostate cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer in American men, right behind skin cancer. Nearly 174,000 new cases are reported in the United States every year. If the cancer has not yet spread outside of the prostate gland, then surgery will be a great treatment option. Another reason to have prostate surgery is to treat an enlarged prostate.
As the prostate grows, it may block the flow of urine which can create bladder, urinary tract, and kidney related problems. Removing a part of the prostate can help to solve or prevent these issues.
What Happens After Radical Prostatectomy
Patients are usually discharged within 24 hours of surgery after radical prostatectomy.
You may have a drain that gets rid of excess fluid from the surgery site. If a drain is placed at the time of surgery, it is typically removed before you leave the hospital.
A urinary catheter continues to drain your urine into a bag. You may need to leave the catheter in place at home for a few days to one week.
After a surgeon removes your prostate, youll no longer ejaculate semen. But you can still be sexually active.
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Transurethral Resection Of The Prostate
This operation is more often used to treat men with non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate called benign prostatic hyperplasia . But it is also sometimes used in men with advanced prostate cancer to help relieve symptoms, such as trouble urinating.
During this operation, the surgeon removes the inner part of the prostate gland that surrounds the urethra . The skin is not cut with this surgery. An instrument called a resectoscope is passed through the tip of the penis into the urethra to the level of the prostate. Once it is in place, either electricity is passed through a wire to heat it or a laser is used to cut or vaporize the tissue. Spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia is used.
The operation usually takes about an hour. After surgery, a catheter is inserted through the penis and into the bladder. It remains in place for about a day to help urine drain while the prostate heals. You can usually leave the hospital after 1 to 2 days and return to normal activities in 1 to 2 weeks.
You will probably have some blood in your urine after surgery.
Other possible side effects from TURP include infection and any risks that come with the type of anesthesia used.
How Bad Is Incontinence After Prostate Surgery
The degree of incontinence varies from person to person and can be anywhere from full-on incontinence, to light dribbles. Some men may only experience this with certain activities, like working out, whereas some may experience leaks when going from sitting to standing. The amount you leak right after surgery will likely lessen as you continue with your recovery and any additional bladder or pelvic floor treatments you may be doing.
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Top 4 Tips To Recover From A Prostate Cancer Surgery Successfully
Surgery is the most common treatment for treating prostate cancer if it is safe from spreading outside the prostate gland.
Radical prostatectomy is the main type of surgery that is done for treating prostate cancer. In this surgery, the entire prostate gland is removed and the tissues around it, and the seminal vesicles.
After going through the surgery, the doctors will shift you into the recovery room. After you are safe, you might go back to the ward. However, you might still feel drowsy because of the anaesthesia and painkillers given to you during the surgery.
Where To Get Laser Enucleation Of Prostate Surgery In Nyc
At New York Urology Specialists, we offer specialized treatment for enlarged prostate for men. Same-day virtual video appointments and in-person appointments are available.
Call/text today: or make an appointment online.
We perform a cystoscopy, urodynamic testing, prostate and bladder ultrasound in our office. We offer Urolift procedure, Rezum water-vapor procedure in our office, and laser enucleation of the prostate in a hospital setting. We treat urinary and erection problems. We offer confidential appointments.
Our appointment costs are affordable with or without insurance. We offer free insurance verification.
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What Happens Before Radical Prostatectomy
Before radical prostatectomy, your provider will ask you about your health history. Youll also need to tell your provider what drugs and vitamins you take. You may need to stop taking some of your medications a few days before your surgery, especially drugs that cause blood thinning.
Your hospital will give you specific instructions, including how long before your surgery to stop eating and drinking.
To check your health before your procedure, you also may need:
- Blood tests.
- Prostate ultrasound and biopsy.
When To Call Your Doctor Or Nurse
Its important to tell your doctor or nurse if:
- your bladder feels full or your catheter isnt draining urine
- your catheter leaks or falls out
- your urine contains blood clots, turns cloudy, dark or red, or has a strong smell
- your wound area or the tip of your penis becomes red, swollen or painful
- you have a fever
- you feel sick or vomit
- you get cramps in your stomach area that will not go away
- you get pain or swelling in the muscles in your lower legs.
Your doctor or nurse will let you know if you should go to the hospital.
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Keeping Up With Appointments And Screenings
Attending your doctors appointments after youve entered remission is very important. If you need to skip an appointment, you should make another appointment as soon as possible.
Use these appointments as a time to discuss any concerns you may have with your doctor. Your doctor can also conduct tests to check for the cancers return during these appointments.
Two tests to detect recurrent prostate cancer include a digital rectal exam and a PSA blood test. During a DRE, your doctor will insert a finger into your rectum. If your doctor detects something unusual, theyll likely ask for additional follow-up tests. These tests may include bone scans and imaging studies, such as an ultrasound or MRI.
Men often experience side effects from their prostate cancer treatments. Some of these side effects may be immediate and temporary. Others may take several weeks or months to show up and never fully disappear.
Common side effects from prostate cancer treatment include:
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Prostatectomy: What To Expect During Surgery And Recovery
If youve been diagnosed withprostate cancer, your doctor will consider many factors before recommending the besttreatment. For many men, that may mean a prostatectomy. In this surgery,doctors remove the entire prostate.
The Johns Hopkins Hospital performs more of these procedures than almostanywhere else in the world. One of the most common questions they hear frompatients: What should I expect after surgery?
Johns Hopkins urologistMohamad Allaf, M.D., explains the surgery and recovery.
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Day Before Your Surgery
Follow a light diet
Follow a light diet, such as a small sandwich, eggs, toast, crackers, or soup. Limit the amount of dairy products you eat and drink, and avoid fried foods and foods with a lot of seasoning.
Note the time of your surgery
A staff member from the Admitting Office will call you after 2 p.m. the day before your surgery. If your surgery is scheduled for a Monday, theyll call you on the Friday before. If you do not get a call by 7 p.m., call .
The staff member will tell you what time to arrive at the hospital for your surgery. Theyll also remind you where to go.
Do your bowel preparation
The night before your surgery, use a saline enema as instructed on the box.
Shower with a 4% CHG solution antiseptic skin cleanser
The night before your surgery, shower using a 4% CHG solution antiseptic skin cleanser.
Sleep
What You Never Lose: The Good News About Sexual Function
While regaining erectile functiom is not possible for all men, it is important to remember that erection is just one part of a satisfying sex life. The other parts remain intact despite prostate cancer surgery. Sexual feelings, sexual fulfillment, climax and the sensation of orgasm are still available without erection.
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What Are The Side Effects
The most common side effects of surgery are leaking urine and problems with getting or keeping an erection .
Your risk of getting these side effects depends on your overall health and age, how far the cancer has spread in and around the prostate and how likely it is to grow, and your surgeons skill and experience.
Recovering From Incontinence After Prostate Surgery Is Tougher Than I Thought
Patient Perspective: Recovering From Prostate Surgery
I was 64 when the doctors told me that I had prostate cancer. One minute, Im living the life of a freshly retired teacher, ready to start traveling with my wife and see the world. The next minute, Im lying on an operating table having my prostate completely removed.
The surgery itself was quick. Just a couple of hours, and I was in the recovery room, slowly waking up, being urged to move around by my wonderful nurses, and getting used to the catheter that was placed there during my surgery.
I went home the next day and felt some pain, which I was warned would be normal. The next week, my doctor took my catheter out and I couldnt be happier about it. I hated the thing, and couldnt wait to get back to normal.
But then, I realized that things were far from normal. The first night after the catheter was removed, I stood up from my celebratory dinner and that was the first time I felt it. A warm trickle down the side of my leg. I hadnt even felt a sensation to urinate, but there it was.
I thought maybe it would go away after a week or so, but the leaks continued. I wore the pads the doctor had given me .
Finally, at 6 months post-surgery, I was able to start going for days without an accident. By seven months, I had pretty much regained all control of my bladder, had stopped wearing pads, and was feeling back to normal.
William Lee,
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