Page 2 - Trans-urethral Resection of the Prostate

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)

After your surgery When you go home
When the operation is completed, you will spend When you go home, you should avoid any heavy
about one to two hours in the Recovery Room until it is lifting (over 10 kg or 20 lb.), strenuous physical activity
safe to return to your room on the ward where you will and sexual activity for about four weeks. It is also
be allowed to eat and drink. In some cases, you may important to avoid becoming constipated. Don’t be
be able to be discharged home the same day. surprised to see blood in the urine or even small blood
clots for up to six weeks after the surgery. Continue to
The catheter is usually left in place for one or two days drink large amounts of fluids (about 8 ounces every
until the drainage is fairly clear. During that time, you two hours while awake) to flush out the bladder
may continue to have the bladder flushed with a regularly, unless advised otherwise by your doctor. By
water solution. There is some discomfort, usually mild, six to eight weeks after your TURP, you should notice a
associated with having the catheter in the bladder significant improvement in your voiding pattern and
and there may be occasional bladder cramping. urine flow.
This can often be controlled with medication. When
you are voiding satisfactorily, you will be discharged, Risks and complications
usually about one to three days after your operation. There is a small risk of infection requiring treatment
Some men are sent home with a catheter which will
be removed in a few days. with antibiotics and, rarely, bleeding can require
blood transfusion or the need to go back to the
After the catheter is removed, you may find that the operating room.
control of your urination is imperfect: you may have Most men have no change in their ability to have
urgency, voiding discomfort, and urinary dribbling. This
usually resolves in a few weeks when the inflammation an erection after a TURP. Frequently, the volume of
clears and the control muscles strengthen. semen is reduced due to backward flow into the
bladder at orgasm: retrograde ejaculation. This should
not affect your enjoyment or that of your partner.

On occasion, men may have persistent poor control
of urination after a TURP. This may require treatment
with medication or more surgery. Abnormal scarring
or prostate regrowth occasionally may require further
evaluation and treatment in the future.
Your TURP has been scheduled for:

Day:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Date:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Time:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Location:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Notes: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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