BPH, or benign prostatic hyperplasia, is a glandular condition that commonly appears in men past the age of 50. While it’s possible to develop an enlarged prostate at any age, BPH becomes increasingly common as men age. Simple prostatectomy is one of the surgical procedures used to address cases of an enlarged prostate from BPH. Below we’re going to talk about this surgery, when it’s performed, and how it may affect you.

Understanding Simple Prostatectomy And Its Risk

This procedure is generally called for when an enlargement of the prostate has resulted in pressure being applied to the bladder or urethra. It may also be used when other symptoms of BPH are becoming problematic. Simple prostatectomies are generally performed using either open surgery or robot-assisted surgical techniques. RAS is used whenever possible, as open surgery requires a large incision to be made in the abdomen to make the prostate accessible. This increases the risk of blood loss and other complications from the procedure.

Robotic surgery is performed by making small incisions, called ports, in the necessary areas. Small surgical tools, including a camera known as an endoscope, are inserted into these ports and threaded to the surgery site. RAS comes with multiple benefits for the patient, including reduced hospital stays and recovery times. The benefits and outcomes of both types of procedure are similar, which is one more reason why RAS is preferred over open surgery.

While robot-assisted surgical techniques are largely preferred over open surgeries, both are commonly performed procedures. The common risks associated with this procedure include:

• Anesthesia allergy or side-effect
• Blood clots
• Infection
• Development of scar tissue
• Erectile dysfunction
• Retrograde ejaculation, or dry orgasms
• UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)
• Incontinence (leaking urine)
• Frequent urinary urges
• Trouble while attempting to urinate
• Blood or painful urination
• Narrowed urethra

As mentioned above, recovery times for robot-assisted techniques are significantly shorter than those of open surgeries. However, you will be able to return home within a couple of days of receiving open surgery. With robot-assisted surgery, you may be able to go home the night of the surgery. Return visits to the doctor depend heavily on the type of procedure you received. Open surgeries will require a return to have the staples removed from the incision in your abdomen.  

Robot-assisted surgeries often require fewer check-ins after the surgery. Of those required, many may be relegated to a telehealth visit to ensure you’re not experiencing any unexpected symptoms.

Speak To Your Prostate Specialist To Learn More

Your physician will speak to you about your treatment options prior to settling on the one to use. During your consultation, they’ll let you know if you’re eligible for robotic-assisted surgery. The vast majority of cases requiring surgical treatment of an enlarged prostate will be able to benefit from RAS. However, in those cases where open surgery is required, they’ll let you know how to prepare. Recovery times from open surgery are often on the order of a month to six weeks in length. Reach out to your specialist to learn more.