After Prostate Surgery

What are some of the risks of having prostate cancer surgery?

My Dad is going to be having prostate cancer surgery and I would like to know if I have to worry about anything?

Public Comments

1. There is the risk it will end his ability to have sex He will most likely need to learn a new way to hold his urine in There is a chance the nerves of the penis will be damaged There is a chance the cancer will spread to other organs and there is a chance he will die from it Didnt your doctor go through these things with you?
2. I have been trying over the last few hours to answer this question but get the coffee break message - now I am trying this Huh! that worked so now click edit Complication rates can vary after prostate surgery. Complications can include such as blood clots, heart problems, infection, bleeding, incontinence and impotence.The mortality rate is very low, about 0.4%. The quality of life usually improves shortly after surgery, and recovery from certain complications, such as incontinence and sexual function, can continue to occur even over years.
3. "Radical prostatectomy is the surgical procedure whereby the entire prostate is removed, as well as the seminal vesicles, the section of the urethra that passes through the prostate, the ends of the vas deferens, and a portion of the bladder neck. After the prostate and surrounding structures are removed, the bladder is then reattached to the remaining urethra. A catheter is placed through the penis into the bladder before the stitches that attach the bladder to the urethra are tied down. The catheter allows urine to drain while the bladder and urethra heal together." "Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is a relatively new procedure that has the advantages of the traditional surgery, but because there are several small abdominal incisions as opposed to the longer midline incision, the discomfort is less and the recovery is quicker with this approach." "All surgical procedures have risks, and the common ones are infection, bleeding, pain, and anesthetic complications. The most common side-effects from prostatectomy are urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. These symptoms usually improve after a period of time and most men regain complete recovery of their bladder and erectile function."
4. If u are worried about risks of ca prostate surgery. u have an equally good alternate- Radiotherapy In early cancers it is equally effective as surgery minus side-effects (given very well by others) I am surprised u have not been informed about all options but I should not be...surgeons cant accept any other treatment except theirs. take opinion of a radiation oncologist