Description

Prostatectomy is a surgical procedure to remove part or all of the prostate gland. This surgery is primarily performed to treat prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is an enlarged prostate¹².

Types of Prostatectomy

1. Simple Prostatectomy:
   • Purpose: Typically used to treat BPH.
   • Procedure: Removes only the part of the prostate that is blocking urine flow. It can be done through open surgery or minimally invasive techniques like laparoscopic or robotic surgery¹².
2. Radical Prostatectomy:
   • Purpose: Primarily used to treat prostate cancer.
   • Procedure: Involves removing the entire prostate gland along with some surrounding tissues, including seminal vesicles and sometimes lymph nodes. This can be done through open surgery or minimally invasive techniques¹².

Familiarity with Treatment

Prostatectomy is a well-established procedure with a long history of use in treating prostate-related conditions. Surgeons are highly trained in both traditional and minimally invasive techniques, ensuring a high level of expertise and care¹².

Procedure

• Preparation: Patients undergo preoperative evaluations, including blood tests, imaging studies, and sometimes a biopsy.
• Surgery: Depending on the type, the surgery can be performed through open incisions or minimally invasive methods. The duration varies but typically lasts a few hours.
• Recovery: Hospital stay ranges from a few days to a week. Full recovery can take 4 to 10 weeks¹².

Suitability

• Suitable for:
  • Men with localized prostate cancer.
  • Men with severe urinary symptoms due to BPH that do not respond to other treatments¹².
• Not Suitable for:
  • Men with significant comorbidities that increase surgical risk.
  • Men with metastatic prostate cancer where other treatments might be more appropriate¹².

Advantages

• Cancer Treatment: Effective in removing localized prostate cancer.
• Symptom Relief: Alleviates severe urinary symptoms caused by BPH.
• Minimally Invasive Options: Reduced pain and quicker recovery with laparoscopic or robotic surgery¹².

Complications

• Common: Urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction.
• Less Common: Infection, bleeding, blood clots, injury to surrounding organs¹².

Previous Care

• Preoperative: Patients may need to stop certain medications, follow a special diet, and undergo bowel preparation.
• Counseling: Discussions about potential risks and benefits, as well as postoperative expectations¹².

Aftercare

• Immediate: Pain management, catheter care, and monitoring for complications.
• Long-term: Pelvic floor exercises to improve urinary control, follow-up appointments, and possibly additional treatments like radiation or hormone therapy if cancer was involved¹².