Prostate Cancer Surgery Recovery

Prostate cancer surgery is one of the two most common treatment procedures, of which the other treatment option is radiation therapy. As far as the occurrence of prostrate cancer is concerned, it is one of leading causes of cancer deaths in men. If diagnosed in the early stages or before the cancer has spread to other tissues, surgical procedure is the ultimate option for the treatment of prostrate cancer.

Prostrate cancer surgery is performed if the cancer cells are confined to the prostrate gland. Also, an ideal candidate for prostrate cancer surgery should be healthy and below 70 years of age. Nevertheless, the type of prostrate cancer surgery depends on the prostrate cancer stage along with the age and overall health condition of the patient. Some of the surgical options for the treatment of prostrate cancer include cryosurgery, radical prostectomy, laparoscopic radical prostectomy, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and lymphadenectomy. Let's discuss in brief about prostrate cancer surgery recovery.

Recovery after Prostate Cancer Surgery

Prostrate cancer surgery requires hospital stay for a particular period. The duration of hospital stay may vary depending on the type of the performed surgery and the general health of the patient who has undergone the surgery. In general, patients are required to stay in the hospital for about 3-5 days after prostrate cancer surgery. Patients who have undergone the surgical procedures with minimal invasive techniques usually recover faster than others. Accordingly, the prostrate cancer recovery period also varies.

During the recovery period after the prostrate cancer surgery, a catheter is used for holding urine. Based on the patient's condition, the catheter may be retained for about 1-3 weeks or until the urinary tract is healed properly. Dressings at the surgery sites are changed regularly to fasten healing and avoid infections. For managing pain and discomfort after surgery, the doctor may prescribe over-the-counter pain killers and other medications.

Regarding prostrate cancer surgery recovery, the swelling usually reduces within a month. By this time, the urine control of the patient also improves gradually. Slow exercises are usually advised to increase blood circulation and reduce blood clots in the legs. The patient can perform walking exercise along with stair climbing during the prostrate cancer recovery period. However, he should abstain from lifting of heavy objects and other rigorous exercises at least for 4-6 months.

In the prostate cancer post surgery period, the patient is expected to follow a particular diet plan as recommended by the concerned physician. The physician also recommends to drink ample amount of water and fruit juices during the recovery period. Doing so helps in promoting free urine flow and preventing urination problems. The patient can switch on to the regular diet subsequently. Making healthy lifestyle changes as per the suggestions by the concerned physician helps in quick prostate cancer recovery and prevents recurrent growth of tumor cells.

Speaking about the complications of prostrate cancer surgery, the most common health problems are incontinence or inability to control passing of urine, erectile dysfunction and at times, impotence. In most prostrate cancer surgery cases, such rectal and urinary problems improve over time, while these complications are severe and long term in about 5 percent of patients. Though many of the patients are concerned about the prostrate cancer treatment side effects, it is found that surgery conducted in patients below 65 years is effective in reducing prostrate cancer deaths up to more than 50 percent. Careful examination of the cancer growth after the prostrate cancer surgery is done at specific intervals to monitor the chances of recurrence.