Prostate Surgery Treatment
Prostate conditions are a common complaint for men over 50--and prostate surgery is a common treatment for prostate conditions. Some types of surgery are more commonly used than others, or may be more appropriate to treat certain conditions or certain stages of a condition. Whatever type of prostate surgery patients undergo, it's good to be aware of the possible aftereffects in advance.
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Causes
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Men can have prostate surgery for different reasons. Most people think of prostate surgery as a way to treat prostate cancer, but it's also used for benign prostatic hypertrophy, a condition in which the prostate grows with age. BPH can cause serious complications such as incontinence, repeated urinary tract infections and kidney failure, so in severe cases it's best to just remove part of the prostate. Men with BPH usually won't need further treatment after surgery, while men with prostate cancer may also undergo other treatments, such as radiation or chemotherapy.
TURP
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Transurethral resection of the prostate, or TURP, is the most widely used surgical treatment for BPH. It's also used to relieve urinary symptoms in men with more advanced prostate cancer. During TURP, an instrument called a resectoscope is inserted into the penis and threaded up into the prostate (the patient undergoes anesthethia before this occurs, of course). Once the resectoscope reaches the prostate, the resectoscope goes into action, "reaming out" the prostate until enough tissue is detached. TURP patients may endure a hospital stay of a few days.
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TUIP
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Transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP), otherwise known as TUIP, is a less invasive version of TURP that is useful for men in the early stages of BPH. The first stages of the operation are the same in both TURP and TUIP, but the difference occurs when the surgeon reaches the prostate. Instead of removing lots of prostate tissue, the surgeon merely makes an incision in the prostate that allows freer flow of urine out of the bladder. TUIP is an outpatient procedure.
Prostatectomy
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Prostatectomy removes the prostate gland entirely. It's usually used for men with prostate cancer as the aftereffects are more severe than those of TURP or TUIP. During open prostatectomy, a surgeon makes an incision in either the lower abdomen or the perineum (area between the scrotum and anus) and removes the prostate through the incision. Laparoscopic prostatectomy involves the surgeon making small incisions in the belly. A small light is inserted through one incision, and the surgeon removes the prostate through the remaining incisions.
Side Effects
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All prostate surgeries carry the risk of certain side effects, such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence. However, the risk of erectile dysfunction is much lower for TURP and TUIP patients than it is in men who undergo prostatectomy. TURP and TUIP patients are also much less likely to suffer from incontinence post-surgery. TURP and TUIP can lead to a condition called retrograde ejaculation, in which semen travels backwards into the body upon orgasm. This isn't a dangerous problem and it doesn't affect a man's ability to have sex, but it can lead to sterility.
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