Surgical removal of your prostate gland, called radical prostatectomy, is another option to treat cancer that's confined to your prostate gland. During this procedure, your surgeon uses special techniques to completely remove your prostate and local lymph nodes, while trying to spare muscles and nerves that control urination and sexual function.
Two surgical approaches are available for a prostatectomy, retropubic and perineal:
Retropubic surgery. In this approach, the gland is taken out through an incision in your lower abdomen that typically runs from just below your navel to an inch above the base of your penis. It's the most commonly used form of prostate removal for two reasons. First, your surgeon can use the same incision to remove pelvic lymph nodes, which are tested to determine if the cancer has spread. Secondly, the procedure gives your surgeon good access to your prostate, making it easy to save the nerves that help control bladder function and erections. Perineal surgery. With the perineal approach, an incision is made between your anus and scrotum. There's generally less bleeding with perineal surgery, and recovery time may be shorter, especially if you're overweight. With this procedure, your surgeon isn't able to remove nearby lymph nodes. During your operation, a catheter is inserted into your bladder through your penis to drain urine from the bladder during your recovery. The catheter will likely remain in place for one to two weeks after the operation while the urinary tract heals.
After the catheter is removed, you'll likely experience some bladder control problems (urinary incontinence) that may last for weeks or even months. Most men eventually regain complete control. Others may experience stress incontinence, meaning they're unable to hold urine flow when their bladders are under increased pressure, as happens when they sneeze, cough, laugh or lift. In some men, major urinary leakage persists, and secondary surgical procedures may be needed in an attempt to correct the problem.
Impotence is another common side effect of radical prostatectomy because nerves on both sides of your prostate that control erections may be damaged or removed during surgery. Most men younger than age 50 who have nerve-sparing surgery are able to achieve normal erections afterward, and some men in their 70s are able to maintain normal sexual functioning. Men who had trouble achieving or maintaining an erection before surgery have a higher risk of being impotent after the surgery.
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Erectile Dysfunction
Brachytherapy / Seed Implants
Hormonal Ablation Treatment
Radiation External - All Kinds
Surgical Removal - All Kinds
Watchful Waiting
Other Conventional Treatments
