Prostate Cancer Surgical Procedures
If prostate cancer is detected in its early stages, surgery is often prescribed as the treatment. In surgery, the physician removes a portion of the prostate, or perhaps the whole gland, if it is entirely cancerous. Unfortunately, surgery often leads to permanent erectile dysfunction, because the nerves that control erection are either damaged or removed along with the cancerous tissue. In some cases, a surgeon can employ nerve-sparing surgery. As long as the nerves that control erection are not too proximate to a tumor, this surgery is possible. Conversely, if there is a tumor near the nerves, this type surgery of surgery cannot be performed, leading to a loss of sexual performance. In some cases, surgery can lead to permanent impotence. Once the prostate has been removed, semen will no longer be produced. Surgery may also cause other some short-term problems. Some men lose control of their urine flow after surgical treatment. This condition is called urinary incontinence. Fortunately, the majority of men regain full control of their bladders after a few weeks. Because of the delicacy of the area involved, you must be prepared for the pain and discomfort that will come after treatment. Ask your doctor or nurses for medicine that can help minimize the pain. Have an after-treatment plan and adjust accordingly. There are various types of surgery employed on prostate cancer. Each one has its own particular sets of advantages and disadvantages. A brief description of some of the procedures will be given here, but it is best to ask your doctor for further details before you begin your chosen treatment. Here are some of the surgical procedures used on prostate cancer: Transurethral resection of the prostate. In this procedure, the surgeon removes a portion of the prostate with a long, thin device that is inserted through the urethra. Cancerous cells will then be removed from the prostate. While this procedure may not be able to remove all the cancerous cells, it is able to remove tissue that hinders the flow of urine. Radical perineal prostatectomy. In this procedure, the surgeon makes an incision in the abdomen, then proceeds to remove the whole prostate, along with any lymph nodes that are in the vicinity. Radical retropubic prostatectomy. Like in radical perineal prostatectomy, this procedure removes the entire prostate and nearby lymph nodes. The only difference is that in this procedure, the prostate is removed through an incision between the anus and the scrotum, while the lymph nodes are removed through a separate cut in the abdominal area. Laparoscopic prostatectomy. In this procedure, the entire prostate and any lymph nodes in close proximity are removed, albeit this time through multiple small incisions instead of a single long incision, as is the case in radical perineal prostatectomy. The procedure derives its name from a device called the laparoscope, which is a lighted tube used in this process to help remove the prostate. Pelvic lymphadenectomy. In this procedure, the surgeon takes out the lymph nodes in the pelvis and checks them for cancerous growth. If the lymph nodes exhibit such growth, it may be an indication that the prostate cancer has spread to other parts of the body. If this is the case, the doctor will often prescribe further treatment.
