Our health care clinic has been in operation for 80 years, and some of our patients have been coming here since they were children. We pride ourselves on providing balanced medical care that looks at all aspects of a patient's wellbeing, including their mood, mental health, social connection as well as their physical health. As many of our patients are older, we've become specialists in geriatric care and help patients to stay at home as long as possible. We find that happy and connected seniors tend to be healthy. Our blog is all about holistic care for older patients in a health care clinic.
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Questions Many Men Have About Prostate Surgery
Jane Brown
Having prostate surgery can be a scary prospect for a man, especially in response to cancer cells found around this gland. There can also be much disinformation about the surgery that a man might find, and make him even more nervous about the procedure. While only your doctor can tell you what to expect personally when it comes to your own health, note a few commonly asked questions and then discuss these with your surgeon as necessary.
How is sexuality affected after surgery?
The main goal of any cancer surgery is to remove cancer cells. For some men, depending on how far their cancer has spread, this can mean having to remove the prostate gland and a set of nerves around the gland that can affect his sexuality. However, this depends on each man and the extent of his cancer; if the nerves around the prostate gland are not affected, they may not need to be removed.
Note, too, that some procedures are more precise than others. A robotic-assisted surgery can mean making finer cuts and incisions around the prostate gland during surgery. In turn, those nerves may be left alone and a man's ability to perform sexually may not be affected. Your surgeon can note the extent of your cancer and, if your sexuality will be affected, if there are other surgeries or medications that can assist to restore your health in this area.
Does the surgery affect a person's bladder control?
Most surgeries for prostate cancer will include a catheter that is kept in place for a few weeks after the surgery, while you heal. Bladder control may be poor for a few months after the catheter is removed and your muscles and nerves continue to heal. However, many men are able to then return to normal bladder control after this time. Again, your doctor can note what to expect and what to do to return to full health as soon as possible, but don't assume that prostate surgery means never having control of your bladder again as this issue will vary from patient to patient.
How long is the recovery?
Most men need to stay in the hospital after surgery for a few days, and then need regular medical care and checkups for the few weeks after surgery, especially in order to check on the condition of their catheter. Your doctor will also typically test tissue collected during surgery for cancer that may have spread and will advise on how often you should come back for regular exams to ensure all the cancer was removed during your surgery.
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