Learning About Simple Prostatectomy for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

What is it?

A simple prostatectomy is surgery to remove most of the prostate gland.

The prostate is a small, walnut-shaped organ. It makes most of the fluid in semen. It lies just below the bladder and surrounds the urethra. The urethra is a tube that carries urine out of the body from the bladder through the penis.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an enlarged prostate gland. The gland can grow with age. It may squeeze or partly block the urethra. This can cause problems with urinating.

The surgery is done when your symptoms don't improve or the prostate is so large that other treatments might not be useful or safe.

How is it done?

A doctor may do a simple prostatectomy in one of these ways.

• Open surgery. The surgeon makes a single cut (incision), usually in the lower belly, to reach the prostate gland. Then the prostate tissue is removed.
• Laparoscopic surgery. The surgeon makes several small incisions in the belly. A lighted viewing tool (laparoscope) is put into one of the incisions. The surgeon uses special tools to reach and remove the prostate tissue through the other incisions.
• Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery. This is like laparoscopic surgery, but it's done with robotic arms. These arms make the surgeon's hand motions finer and more precise. It requires specially trained doctors.

For all three methods, you are normally asleep during the surgery.

What can you expect as you recover?

You will likely stay in the hospital for 1 or more days after surgery. During that time, you may have a drain in your lower belly. This allows fluids from surgery to flow out. You will also have a thin, flexible tube called a catheter. It drains urine from your bladder. You may have blood in your urine at first.

A catheter is left in your bladder to drain your urine for 1 to 2 weeks. Your doctor will tell you how to care for your catheter at home.

Most people can go back to work or their usual routine in about 2 weeks. But it can take about 4 weeks to fully recover.