Side effects of prostate surgery. The major possible side effects of radical prostatectomy are urinary incontinence (being unable to control urine) and erectile dysfunction (impotence; problems getting or keeping erections). These side effects can also occur with other forms of prostate cancer treatment.
After a radical prostatectomy, you no longer ejaculate semen. This is because the prostate gland and 2 glands called the seminal vesicles are removed. Your testicles will continue to make sperm cells but they will be reabsorbed back into your body.
The incisions may be sore for 1 to 2 weeks. Your doctor will give you medicine for pain. You will have a tube (urinary catheter) to drain urine from your bladder for 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. You may have bladder cramps, or spasms, while the catheter is in your bladder.
Most men who have normal sexual function and receive treatment for early prostate cancer regain erectile function and can have satisfying sex lives after robotic prostatectomy. However, it is a gradual process and may take up to a year.
After surgery, there may be swelling that makes it difficult to urinate. You'll have a catheter (a hollow tube) coming out of the urethra for two to three days. After this, the catheter is removed and just about everyone is able to void on their own.
Conversely, there is good evidence that drugs such as Viagra can be used to enhance erections after surgery and that, even if such drugs do not work – for example if the nerves have been removed to maximise cancer clearance – mechanical devices such as vacuum pumps, cavaject injections into the side of the penis or ...
That's why I generally don't recommend this surgery for a man whose life expectancy is less than 10 years, or for a man who is older than 75, depending on his personal and family health history.
Radical prostatectomy survival rates
The research showed that between 5 and 20 years after having the surgery, only 3% of the patients died of prostate cancer, 5% saw their cancer spread to other organs, and 6% had a localised recurrence.
Both treatments work well. With either treatment, the chance of your cancer spreading is low. Both treatments have side effects, such as bladder, bowel, and erection problems. Radiation therapy is more likely to cause bowel problems.
Urine Catheter/Urinary Control
The catheter will remain for approximately six to nine days after the operation. We will attach the catheter to a leg bag that you can hide under your pants. At nighttime, we recommend that you switch to a regular urinary bag that you place on the side of the bed.
Simple prostatectomy provides long-term relief of urinary symptoms due to an enlarged prostate. Although it's the most invasive procedure to treat an enlarged prostate, serious complications are rare. Most men who have the procedure generally don't need any follow-up treatment for their BPH .
The prostate is not necessary for erections to occur.
The two prominent quality-of-life issues associated with living without a prostate are the loss of urinary control and the loss of erectile function. When you read or hear that success rates in these two areas are in the 90% range, it's highly probable you're reading hype.
The literature identifies considerable effects on feelings of well-being, self-esteem, and relationship difficulties, particularly in younger patients who have undergone prostatectomy, and problems with depression, feelings of isolation, and social withdrawal have been reported.
Abstaining from alcohol for several weeks after prostatectomy is recommended to avoid irritating the bladder. Drinking alcohol soon after a prostatectomy may lead to urinary incontinence.
A prostatectomy or removal of the prostate gland is generally considered the gold standard treatment option for most men diagnosed with high-risk prostate cancer. Surgical treatment options for removal of the prostate include: Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.
Median follow-up was five years (range 1–23 years). Actuarial 15-year recurrence-free survival, CSS and overall survival rates were 20.7%, 57.4% and 45.4%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, predictors of poor CSS were pathological Gleason sum of 9–10, seminal vesicle and lymph node involvement.
Most people go home about 2 to 4 days after surgery to remove the prostate gland. After robotic surgery, you usually go home within 24 to 48 hours.
Surgery can very effectively reduce the problems associated with a benign enlarged prostate. It is considered if other treatments don't provide enough relief, or if the enlarged prostate keeps causing medical problems such as urinary tract infections.
Almost all postoperative complications of radical prostatectomy are age-related. The impact of age on risk for postoperative complications is greatest in men aged 70 years and older. Increasing age was also associated with longer hospital stays post-surgery.
Patients with a history of extensive abdominal surgery, radiation, pre-existing heart or lung disease, morbid obesity, or bleeding tendencies may not be the best candidates for robotic prostatectomy. Patients with known metastatic or recurrent prostate cancer are not candidates for robotic prostatectomy.
Erectile dysfunction is common, and there are many things you can do to manage it. A variety of factors may be causing your ED. These include your lifestyle, alcohol intake, some medications, diseases, disorders, and psychological stress. Depending on the cause, several effective strategies and treatments exist.