You can't take out the prostate without cutting through the urethra. And you can't leave the urethra cut, because the urine would just spill out of the bladder into your body, so it must be reattached to the bladder.
A prostatectomy is a surgical procedure for the partial or complete removal of the prostate. It may be performed to treat prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia. A common surgical approach to prostatectomy includes making a surgical incision and removing the prostate gland (or part of it).
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.
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.
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.
Androgen deprivation shrinks the prostate gland substantially. This is due to the loss of luminal cells, which form the inside of the hollow prostate. The prostate can regenerate when androgen is restored.
Based on the natural history of localized prostate cancer, the life expectancy (LE) of men treated with either radical prostatectomy (RP) or definitive external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) should exceed 10 years.
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.
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.
Even though surgery and radiation have similar cure rates, some patients believe that removal of their prostate is best for them. As long as you understand that the cancer can still come back after removal of the prostate, these patients should generally have surgery to avoid treatment regret.
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.
Stage IV Prostate Cancer Prognosis
Prostate cancers detected at the distant stage have an average five-year survival rate of 28 percent, which is much lower than local and regional cancers of the prostate.
The majority of people with prostate cancer — nearly 80% — are diagnosed early and cured by their treatment, most often radiation or surgery. But one in five of those diagnosed with prostate cancer has a more aggressive form of the disease.
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.
However, for most men, regaining full control of their urine is a gradual process that takes several weeks or months. By six months, most men who were continent before the surgery no longer need pads, though some prefer to wear just a liner for security even if they do not leak.
Most men can treat their symptoms at home or take medicines for their symptoms. Surgery can be helpful if an enlarged prostate is causing serious problems or if medicines aren't working.
Radical prostatectomy is a major operation that can cause serious and life-threatening complications such as blood clots in the legs and lungs, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attack, pneumonia, and infections.
“You use prescription erection pills. If they don't work, you move to injectable medications. If they don't work, you get a penile prosthesis. Also, having a loving and understanding partner always helps.” There's also the vacuum erection device (VED).
The operation to remove the prostate, called a radical prostatectomy, is one of the most difficult surgical procedures there is. There are several reasons for this: One is simply the prostate's hard-to-get-to location deep in the pelvis.
More than 90 percent of our patients will regain urinary control, although they may go through a period — perhaps several months or a year after surgery — in which they do not have complete control.
What is a dangerous PSA level? PSA levels above 10 ng/mL are considered especially risky. Patients should consult their doctor immediately, as there is a chance of prostate cancer. Elevated PSA levels may indicate cancer or other types of infections or conditions.
In many cases, prostate cancer is relatively slow-growing, which means that it can take years to become large enough to be detectable, and even longer to metastasize outside the prostate.
Cancer survival rates often use a five-year survival rate. That doesn't mean cancer can't recur beyond five years. Certain cancers can recur many years after first being found and treated. For some cancers, if it has not recurred by five years after initial diagnosis, the chance of a later recurrence is very small.
There is a perception among a lot of patients — especially when they get diagnosed — that having a high Gleason score of 8, 9, or 10 is essentially a “death sentence”, regardless of how they get treated. This is not actually the case at all. Plenty of men with Gleason 8 to 10 disease actually do well after treatment.