Prostate Cancer Surgery
What is a 'radical prostatectomy'?
A radical prostatectomy, or a total prostatectomy, involves the surgical removal of the prostate gland, its adjacent organs, and generally lymph nodes nearby. We feel that if the prostate cancer is confined to the prostate and it's removed surgically, that this may represent the best chance for cure for that cancer, rather than using less invasive procedures such as cryotherapy.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of radical prostatectomy?
Advantages of a radical prostatectomy are to totally remove the prostate, adjacent structures and lymph nodes and try to completely eradicate the cancer from the body. If this can be accomplished then we feel the patient's cured. The disadvantages would include complications such as impotence or loss of sexual function, and incontinence and loss of urine.
What is the recovery time after radical prostatectomy?
Following a radical prostatectomy, the time in the hospital is short and ranges from one to four days. Recuperation at home can range from four to six weeks.
What is a 'laparoscopic radical prostatectomy'?
Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy involves inserting small tubes and removing the prostate by watching on a TV monitor the course of the surgery. The removal of prostate is accomplished by making a small incision at the end of the procedure.
What are the advantages of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy?
In a laparoscopic radical prostatectomy only a small incision is made at the end of the procedure to remove the prostate and lymph tissue, therefore, a large scar is not necessary. The recovery time may be shorter and other factors such as decreased blood loss and decreased need for pain medicine also may be a factor.
What are the side effects of a radical prostatectomy?
Some of the side effects of radical prostatectomy include blood loss, which sometimes requires transfusion, loss of sexual function, impotence, and loss of control of the urine, or incontinence.
What is a 'Foley catheter'?
A Foley catheter is a rubber tube, typically attached to a drainage bag, which allows the urine to flow from the body. After a radical prostatectomy, there needs to be time for the tissues to heal and to re-establish drainage between the bladder and the urethra, therefore the catheter is used to accomplish this during this healing process.
