Prostate Removal Surgery (Prostatectomy)

Prostatectomy removes some or all of the prostate to treat selected prostate cancers, with recovery and side effects varying by the operation.

Prostatectomy is surgery to remove prostate tissue. A radical prostatectomy removes the prostate and usually nearby structures that may contain cancer; the surgeon may also assess or remove lymph nodes. It can be open, laparoscopic, or robot-assisted. The choice depends on the cancer, anatomy, overall health, and the surgical team’s assessment.

Before surgery, you discuss medicines, anaesthesia, urinary function, erections, fertility, and whether lymph-node assessment is appropriate. During the operation, the prostate is removed and the bladder is joined to the urethra. A urinary catheter supports healing while that join settles. The removed tissue is examined, and the result helps determine follow-up or additional treatment.

Short-term effects can include pain, bruising, tiredness, constipation, blood in the urine, and catheter discomfort. Leakage of urine and difficulty getting an erection can occur; improvement may take time and support is available. Contact the surgical team for fever, worsening pain, heavy bleeding, inability to pass urine after catheter removal, calf swelling, chest pain, or sudden breathlessness.

The aim is to remove cancer that is suitable for surgery while preserving urinary and sexual function when this can be done safely. The pathology report and later prostate-specific antigen tests help show whether further treatment or monitoring is needed. Outcomes vary with tumour features, health, nerve preservation, and recovery; surgery cannot guarantee that cancer will not return.

Prostatectomy is generally considered when the cancer is localised or when surgery has a clear role in a broader plan. It causes infertility because the prostate and related structures are removed. Discuss sperm storage before treatment if future biological children matter to you.

Men with Prostate Cancer may be offered prostatectomy when the cancer’s extent, grade, expected course, and personal preferences make surgery reasonable. A multidisciplinary team may compare surgery with observation or radiation-based care. Age alone does not decide suitability; fitness, other illnesses, urinary symptoms, and goals all matter.

The operation usually includes anaesthesia, access through an open or several small incisions, removal of the prostate, possible lymph-node sampling, reconnection of the bladder and urethra, and placement of a catheter. Afterward, staff monitor pain, urine drainage, bowel function, movement, and signs of infection before discharge instructions are given.

Expect reduced energy at first and increase activity gradually. Avoid heavy lifting until the team confirms that it is appropriate. Catheter duration and return to driving, work, exercise, and sexual activity differ between people and procedures. Pelvic-floor training may help urinary control, while erectile rehabilitation can be discussed once healing allows.

Possible surgical risks include infection, bleeding, blood clots, anaesthetic problems, injury to nearby organs, and narrowing where the bladder and urethra are joined. Urinary leakage and erectile difficulty may persist or need treatment. The cancer may require further therapy if pathology or follow-up indicates remaining or returning disease.

Depending on the cancer and your priorities, options may include active surveillance, external-beam Radiotherapy, or internal radiation called Brachytherapy. These choices differ in side effects, visits, monitoring, and how they affect urinary, bowel, and sexual function. A specialist team can compare them using your test results and personal circumstances.

Look for a urology service that provides prostate cancer surgery and structured follow-up. Ask who will discuss pathology, PSA results, continence, erections, fertility, and warning symptoms. Support after treatment may include pelvic-floor physiotherapy, continence nursing, counselling, and Sexual Health Support After Cancer.