Locations Main Campus: Chesterfield, MO 63017   |   Locations
314-434-1500 314-434-1500   |   Contact Us

Multimedia Encyclopedia


 
E-mail Form
Email Results

 
 
Print-Friendly
Bookmarks
bookmarks-menu

Radical prostatectomy - discharge

Prostatectomy - radical - discharge; Radical retropubic prostatectomy - discharge; Radical perineal prostatectomy - discharge; Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy - discharge; LRP - discharge; Robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy - discharge ; RALP - discharge; Pelvic lymphadenectomy - discharge; Prostate cancer - prostatectomy

 

When you Were in the Hospital

You had surgery to remove all of your prostate, some tissue near your prostate, and probably some lymph nodes. This was done to treat prostate cancer.

  • Your surgeon may have made an incision (cut) either in the lower part of your belly or in the area between your scrotum and anus (open surgery).
  • Your surgeon may have used a robot or a laparoscope (a thin tube with a tiny camera on the end). You will have several small incisions on your belly.

What to Expect at Home

 

You may be tired and need more rest for 3 to 4 weeks after you go home. You may have pain or discomfort in your belly or the area between your scrotum and anus for 2 to 3 weeks.

You will go home with a catheter (tube) to drain urine from your bladder. This will be removed after 1 to 3 weeks.

 

Wound Care

 

Change the dressing over your surgical wound once a day, or sooner if it becomes soiled. Your health care provider will tell you when you do not need to keep your wound covered. Keep the wound area clean by washing it with mild soap and water.

  • You may remove the wound dressings and take showers if sutures, staples, or glue were used to close your skin. Cover the incision with plastic wrap before showering for the first week if you have tape (Steri-Strips) over it.
  • DO NOT soak in a bathtub or hot tub, or go swimming, as long as you have a catheter. You can do these activities after the catheter is removed and your doctor has told you it ok to do so.

Your scrotum may be swollen for 2 to 3 weeks if you had open surgery. You may need to wear either a support (like a jock strap) or brief underwear until the swelling goes away. While you are in bed, you may use a towel below your scrotum for support.

You may have a drain (called a Jackson-Pratt, or JP drain) below your belly button that helps extra fluid leak from your body. Your provider will take it out after 1 to 3 days.

 

Urinary Catheters

 

While you have a urinary catheter :

  • You may feel spasms in your bladder. Your provider can give you medicine for this.
  • You will need to make sure your indwelling catheter is working properly. You will also need to know how to clean the tube and the area where it attaches to your body so that you do not get an infection or skin irritation.
  • The urine in your drainage bag may be a darker red color. This is normal.

After your catheter is removed:

  • You may have burning when you pee, blood in the urine, frequent urination, and an urgent need to urinate.
  • You may have some urine leakage (incontinence). This should improve over time. You should have almost normal bladder control within 3 to 6 months.
  • You will learn exercises (called Kegel exercises) that strengthen the muscles in your pelvis. You can do these exercises any time you are sitting or lying down.

 

Other Self-care

 

DO NOT drive the first 3 weeks after you come home. Avoid long car trips if you can. If you need to take a long car trip, stop at least every 2 hours.

DO NOT lift anything heavier than a 1-gallon (4 liters) milk jug for the first 6 weeks. You can slowly work back up to your normal exercise routine after that. You can do everyday activities around the house if you feel up to it. But expect to get tired more easily.

Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, and take stool softeners to prevent constipation. DO NOT strain during bowel movements.

DO NOT take aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), or other similar medicines for 2 weeks after your surgery. They may cause problems with blood clots.

 

Sexual Problems After Surgery

 

Sexual problems you may notice are:

  • Your erection may not be as rigid. Some men are not able to have an erection.
  • Your orgasm may not be as intense or pleasurable as before.
  • You may notice no semen at all when you have an orgasm.

These problems may get better or even go away, but it may take many months or more than a year. The lack of an ejaculate (semen coming out with orgasm) will be permanent. Ask your doctor about medicines that will help.

 

When to Call the Doctor

 

Call your health care provider if:

  • You have pain in your belly that does not go away when you take your pain medicines
  • It is hard to breathe
  • You have a cough that does not go away
  • You cannot drink or eat
  • Your temperature is above 100.5°F (38°C)
  • Your surgical cuts are bleeding, red, warm to the touch, or have a thick, yellow, green, or milky drainage
  • You have signs of infection (burning sensation when you urinate, fever, or chills)
  • Your urine stream is not as strong or you cannot pee at all.
  • You have pain, redness, or swelling in your legs

While you have a urinary catheter, call your provider if:

  • You have pain near the catheter
  • You are leaking urine
  • You notice more blood in your urine
  • Your catheter seems blocked
  • You notice grit or stones in your urine
  • Your urine smells bad, or it is cloudy or a different color
  • Your catheter has fallen out

 

 

References

Resnick MJ, Koyama T, Fan KH, Albertsen PC, Goodman M, Hamilton AS, et al. Long-term functional outcomes after treatment for localized prostate cancer. N Engl J Med . 2013 Jan 31;368(5):436-445. PMID: 23363497 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23363497 .

Schaeffer EM, Partin AW, Lepor H. Radical retropubic and perineal prostatectomy. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology . 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 102.

Skolarus TA, Wolf AM, Erb NL, Brooks DD, Rivers BM, Underwood W 3rd, et al. American Cancer Society prostate cancer survivorship care guidelines. CA Cancer J Clin . 2014 Jul;64(4):225-249. Epub 2014 Jun 10. PMID: 24916760 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24916760 .

Smith JA, Su L. Laparoscopic and robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology . 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 103.

 

        A Closer Look

         

          Self Care

           

            Tests for Radical prostatectomy - discharge

             

               

              Review Date: 6/29/2015

              Reviewed By: Jennifer Sobol, DO, Urologist with the Michigan Institute of Urology, West Bloomfield, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

              The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

               
               
               

               

               

              A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.



              Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.