|  | Surgeries Operations | Surgeries

Prostate Reduction Surgery & Impotence

The prostate gland enlarges naturally with age, and in some cases it can grow to such an extent that it begins to interfere unduly with normally functions of life. In cases like these, prostate reduction surgery can provide some measure of relief. Unfortunately, this surgery comes at a price, as one of the most common side effects is impotence.

  1. Prostate Reduction Surgery

    • According to an article from the Los Angeles Times, prostate reduction surgery is a fairly routine procedure. The surgery itself can be performed in an hour to an hour and a half, and the patient need not remain in the hospital overnight in many cases. Prostate reduction surgery is commonly prescribed when the prostate's enlargement is interfering with urinary function or cancer is present in the gland.

    Types

    • There are three main types of prostate reduction surgery. One type is called transurethral surgery, and is performed using microwaves to destroy the excess prostate tissue. Another form of surgery is manual excision, which is the traditional surgical staple consisting of just the doctor and his scalpel. Finally, robotic prostate surgery is a third option, consisting of the use of a remote-controlled machine called a "Da Vinci" robot to remove the prostate gland.

    Side Effects

    • According to an article on MedicineNet.com, a number of side effects can stem from prostate surgery, but the most troubling to many men are impotence and incontinence. These conditions can occur in situations where the nerves surrounding the prostate are accidentally damaged during the operation. This happens as a routine matter of course in many surgeries, as the area is so tightly packed with nerves that even the most expert surgeons stand a risk of damaging them.

    Statistics

    • According to a study performed at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle published in the January 2000 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, out of almost 1,300 men surveyed who had recent prostate surgery, roughly 60 percent of them suffered from impotence and 8.4 percent suffered from incontinence.

    Considerations

    • According to an article published on MSNBC, robotic prostate surgery was the worst offender for causing impotence. Over an 18-month post-surgical procedure, men who underwent robotic prostate surgery were more likely to report sexual dysfunction.

Surgeries - Related Articles