How long does prostate cancer surgery take?

Prostate cancer surgery time includes preparation, the operation itself, recovery in hospital and healing at home. The operation may be performed as open or minimally invasive surgery, including robotic techniques. Your surgeon can give a more personal estimate after reviewing the cancer location, planned procedure and your general health.

The theatre schedule is only one part of the experience. Before surgery, you may have an assessment, blood tests, medication instructions and advice about eating and drinking. After prostate removal surgery, a urinary catheter is commonly used while the surgical area heals. The team checks pain control, movement, urine drainage and wound care before discharge. Recovery continues at home, and energy, bladder control and sexual function may change at different speeds.

Robotic cancer surgery uses small instruments controlled through a console, but it remains major surgery and still needs careful recovery planning. Radiotherapy or brachytherapy may be discussed as alternatives or additional treatment, depending on the cancer and your priorities.

Ask when to stop medicines that affect bleeding, who will take you home and how long you should avoid lifting or strenuous activity. Arrange help with meals, washing and transport during the first part of recovery. Follow catheter and wound instructions exactly, keep a record of medicines, and attend the planned review. Difficulty passing urine after catheter removal should be reported to the care team.

Contact your surgical team promptly for fever, worsening pain, increasing redness or fluid from the wound, heavy bleeding, a catheter that stops draining, or new swelling in a leg. Seek urgent help if you cannot pass urine, feel faint, have severe breathlessness or develop sudden chest pain.

Ask which operation is planned, what the estimated theatre and hospital times are, when the catheter may come out, which symptoms are expected during healing, and how surgery may affect bladder control and erections. Ask how pathology results will guide the next step.