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.
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.
Change the dressing over your surgical wound once a day, or sooner if it becomes soiled. Your doctor 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.
Your scrotum may be swollen for 2 to 3 weeks. You may need to wear either a support 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 doctor will take it out after 1 to 3 days.
See also: Jackson-Pratt drain
While you have a urinary catheter:
See also:
After your catheter is removed:
Do not lift anything heavier than a 1-gallon milk jug for the first 6 weeks. Avoid long car trips, always stopping at least every 2 hours. Do not drive the first 3 weeks after you come home.
After that, you can slowly work back up to your normal exercise routine. You can do everyday activities around the house if you feel up to it. 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.
You should 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 you may notice are:
These problems may get better or even go away, but it may take many months or more than a year. Ask your doctor about medicines that will help.
Call your doctor or nurse if:
While you have a urinary catheter, call your doctor if:
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
Su L, Smith JA. Laparoscopic and robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 99.
Walsh PC, Partin AW. Anatomic radical retropubic prostatectomy. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 97.
Hartke DM, Resnick MI. Radical perineal prostatectomy. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 98.
Updated by: Louis S. Liou, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Urology, Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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