If you’ve had prostate surgery, you’re probably wondering if everything is going to be okay. One common side effect after prostate surgery is blood in your urine. While it’s not ideal, it doesn’t mean that your surgery was unsuccessful, or something is wrong with you. In this blog post, we’ll talk about the causes of blood in urine after prostate surgery and what you can do to ease any discomfort you may be experiencing. We’ll also dispel some myths about blood in urine after prostate surgery that may be causing you unnecessary anxiety. So read on for all the information you need to know about this common side effect!
What are different prostate open surgery approaches?
The most traditional way to remove your prostate gland is with open surgery. The surgeon makes a single long incision on the skin and removes any inflammation or obstruction around it, which may have been causing problems for years before now!
In some cases, though- especially when other methods don’t work- this procedure might be necessary again to solve those issues more effectively.
Recently, surgeons have started using laparoscopic tools to perform prostatectomies. In this procedure, they make several smaller incisions and use long surgical instruments, which are held by robotic arms or control panels for the precise movement of the device.
A) Open Prostate Surgery
The surgeon makes a single, long incision on the skin and carefully removes any inflammation or obstruction around the prostate.
1) Radical retropubic Surgery
The surgeon will make an incision (cut) in your lower abdomen, from the belly button to just above the public bone. You can either be under general anesthesia or receive spinal/epidural Numbing alongside sedation during this operation – it’s up to you!
If the surgeon determines that cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, they may also remove some of these organs at this time (known as pelvic node dissection). The nodes are sent off for testing in hopes it will show whether or not there are any signs/symptoms associated with them being locally operated on. Suppose you don’t have anything unusual happening within your body. In that case, you won’t need extra procedures like laparoscopic surgery, which could lead us down an inevitable path toward worse side effects than before!
2) Radical perineal Surgery
The radical perineal approach is a less-used surgical option because it can lead to erection problems, and the nearby lymph nodes can’t be removed. However, this cut may only require an incision in your behind (perinea). If you’re not concerned about getting hard or having something removed from there, it makes a recovery easier! Of course, the final result will depend on how well the procedure was performed. Still, either way, they both seem pretty effective, so give them both a try before making up your mind.
B) Laparoscopic prostatectomy
It is important to understand what laparoscopic surgery can and cannot do. It’s not a one-size fits all approach, so make sure you find the right surgeon with plenty of experience in this field who will work best for your needs!
1) Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP)
Laparoscopic prostatectomies have some advantages over open radical procedures, including less blood loss and pain. The surgeon inserts special long instruments through several small incisions in the abdominal wall to remove the prostate. This gives them access to areas that would otherwise be hard to reach with an ordinary operation. It allows for increased precision when performing surgery on delicate tissues like nerves or bone matter close by (And at different heights). In addition, you can monitor what’s happening inside your body via a video camera attached to one of these tools – so there are no surprises!
Regarding side effects and chances for success, there doesn’t seem much difference between open prostatectomies and LPRP. The rates of major complications such as erectile problems or trouble holding urine (incontinence) appear equal with this approach. However, recovery time may be delayed slightly after an operation using either method due in part because doctors have less access through a small hole that’s made when removing tissue rather than cutting away all layers like they would if doing so openly atop the bladder neck area.
2) Robotic-assisted LRP
The robotic prostatectomy approach is a laparoscopic surgery involving robots to perform several small incisions in the patient’s abdomen. This helps reduce pain, blood loss, and recovery time for patients compared with open surgeries. Still, it doesn’t seem like there are any major side effects concerning sexual function or ability after completion of this type of procedure. So, long-term success rates look good!
Possible complications after prostate surgery
Radical prostatectomy is major surgery, and as with any surgery, risks are involved. Problems that can occur during or shortly after surgery include:
- Reactions to anesthesia
- Bleeding from the surgery
- Blood clots in the legs or lungs
- Damage to nearby organs
- Infections at the surgery site.
- Rarely, part of the intestine might be injured during surgery, which could lead to infections in the abdomen and might require more surgery to fix. Injuries to the intestines are more common with laparoscopic and robotic surgeries than with the open approach.
- If lymph nodes are removed, a collection of lymph fluid (called a lymphocele) can form and may need to be drained.
- In extremely rare cases, a man can die because of complications of this operation. Your risk depends, in part, on your overall health, your age, and the skill of your surgical team.
To minimize your risk of post-operative bleeding, follow your surgeon’s instructions on wound care and take any prescribed antibiotics. If you experience any unusual bleeding or other symptoms, be sure to contact your doctor right away.
Possible Side effects of prostate surgery
Radical prostatectomy is the most common surgery for prostate cancer. It removes the entire prostate gland and some of the surrounding tissue.
The major possible side effects of radical prostatectomy are urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. However, these side effects can also occur with other forms of prostate cancer treatment.
Urinary incontinence after prostate surgery:
When you develop urinary incontinence, you may not be able to control urination or have leakage or dribbling. Being incontinent can affect you physically, emotionally, and socially. These are the major types of incontinence:
- Stress incontinence: Men with stress urinary incontinence might leak urine when they cough, laugh, sneeze, or exercise. Stress urinary incontinence is the most common type after prostate surgery. It’s usually caused by problems with the valve that keeps urine in the bladder (The bladder sphincter muscles). Prostate cancer treatments can damage this valve or the nerves that keep the valve working. An artificial urinary sphincter can be used to recover this valve.
- Overflow Incontinence: Men with overflow incontinence have trouble emptying their bladder. They take a long time to urinate and have a dribbling stream with little force. Overflow incontinence is usually caused by blockage or narrowing of the bladder outlet by scar tissue.
- Urge incontinence: Men with urge incontinence have a sudden need to urinate. This happens when the overactive bladder becomes too sensitive to stretching as it fills with urine.
- Continuous incontinence: Rarely after surgery does men lose all ability to control their urine. This is called continuous incontinence, which leads to leaking urine. After surgery for prostate cancer, normal bladder control usually returns within several weeks or months.
This recovery usually occurs slowly over time. Doctors can’t predict for sure how any man will be affected after surgery. Older men generally tend to have more severe urinary symptoms than younger men. Large cancer centers, where prostate surgery is done often and surgeons have a lot of experience, generally report fewer problems and easier to treat urinary incontinence.
Erectile Problems
Erectile dysfunction is when men cannot get an erection sufficient for sexual penetration. This can happen because there are two tiny bundles of nerves running alongside the prostate, and if these are injured during surgery, they will need to be repaired or replaced with tissue from another source (neurorescue). If both sides’ nerve endings were removed, then patients wouldn’t experience spontaneous erections. But may still manage using some aids described below – this doesn’t mean that all hope would’ve been lost!
Orgasm disorders
When you have surgery to remove your prostate, the sensation of orgasm may be less intense or even go away completely. This is because some glands responsible for making most (if not all) semen are removed during this procedure (And sperm-repelling pathways in our body get cut too)! Less often than pain with reaching sexual satisfaction after intercourse; however, another type called “dry” orgasms can still exist, which feels great without any ejaculation at all.
Fertility Problems
The loss of fertility after radical prostatectomy is an issue that many men face. The procedure cuts the vas deferens, which are pathways between your testicles (where sperm are made) and the urethra. Without this passageway for fluids to flow outwards through, it becomes much harder because there’s no way they can leave with any force or velocity at all! This means you will never be able to have children naturally again- unless you are going after other fertility solutions.
Lymphedema
Lymphedema is a rare but possible complication of removing lymph nodes around the prostate. When these are removed, fluid can accumulate in your legs or genital region over time, leading to swelling and pain. However, it usually goes away with physical therapy treatments.
Lymphatic system removal: A patient may experience some relief by using crutches after surgery if they have lymphedematous leg issues caused by being disabled because there isn’t enough circulation going through them at first glance.
Change in genital organ’s length
When a man has his prostate and urethra removed, there can sometimes be some changes in the length of time it takes for them to go away. The first few months after surgery are when these effects might start showing up, so make sure you follow the doctor’s orders!
Inguinal hernia
The experience of having a prostatectomy is not without its risks. The surgery may increase your chances of developing an inguinal (groin) hernia in the future, so you should be aware before going through with it!
Bleeding after prostatectomy
If you are suffering from post-operative arterial hemorrhage, don’t worry, you are not alone. This rare complication can occur in up to 5% of men who undergo prostate surgery. In most cases, the bleeding is caused by damage to the internal iliac artery, which is the main blood supply to the pelvic organs. However, new techniques can be used to control the bleeding, such as endovascular embolization, a minimally invasive procedure that can be very effective in reducing bleeding mortality. If you are concerned about your post-operative bleeding, talk to your doctor about your treatment options.
Key Points:
- Postoperative arterial hemorrhage following prostatectomy is a rare complication, occurring in 5% of cases
- Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is the primary technique for prostatectomy because it leads to less bleeding
- Most reported arterial hemorrhages after prostatectomy originate from damage to the internal iliac artery
- Endovascular embolization is a minimally invasive procedure that can be effective in reducing bleeding mortality
Urethral bleeding after an open prostatectomy is a rare condition
Suppose you are a man who has gone through prostate cancer surgery. In that case, you may be wondering what is causing your post-operative bleeding. Urethral bleeding after radical prostatectomy is a rare complication, the cause being distal to the urinary sphincter and unrelated to the pelvic vessels. The performance of CT angiography and subsequent embolization is the treatment of choice, avoiding open surgical revision with less morbidity. Here are the key points you need to know:
- Urethral bleeding after radical prostatectomy is a rare condition
- The cause of the bleeding is distal to the urinary sphincter and unrelated to the pelvic vessels
- CT angiography and subsequent embolization is the recommended treatment, which avoids open surgical revision
- This treatment has less morbidity associated with it.
Please keep in mind that:
- The risk of urethral bleeding increases with age, diabetes, and pre-operative hematuria.
- Most cases of urethral bleeding after prostatectomy resolve spontaneously.
- Less than 5% of patients require surgical intervention for urethral bleeding after prostatectomy.
- Patients should be counseled about the risk of urethral bleeding before undergoing surgery.
One month after surgery
Sometimes, even four weeks after your surgery, you experience blood in your urine. And you are not sure if it’s related to the surgery or if it’s something else. You need to see your doctor immediately, so hopefully, he can help you figure out what’s going on.
If this happens to you, don’t panic. Some people may wonder if this means their prostate cancer has returned. Be assured that there is no evidence for this happening in such a short time after the surgery. You should be optimistic that everything is going to be okay.
These symptoms may be a result of clots being loosened as you heal. This is a common side effect and usually goes away on its own. If the blood in your urine is accompanied by pain, it is most likely due to clots. Please contact your GP or surgeon if you are concerned about any symptoms.
Can this be a long-term problem after prostatectomy?
The causes of ‘late’ Haematuria following endoscopic and open prostatectomy were studied.
More than 400 patients had their urine tested for sediments between 1994-1996, with 90 developing post-surgical cases involving an investigation into possible urological disorders such as cancer or bladder inflammation (Which could account for some forms of mild to moderate blood in toilet bowl phenomenon-TBP).
The study found that among the 30 individuals who developed late-stage PCE within two years after surgery, six had legitimate medical reasons behind its occurrence (Including prostatic malignancy discovered during screening exams before procedure inception), making them eligible candidates not just suspects.
Urological causes accounted for another eight cases, with the remaining 16 being ‘idiopathic’ in nature, meaning no specific underlying physical cause could be identified.
Underlying physical causes
While the study did not focus on long-term Haematuria following prostatectomy, it is still possible that this could be a potential problem for some men. However, it is important to keep in mind that most cases were found to have an underlying physical cause unrelated to the surgery itself. In other words, while Haematuria may be a side effect of prostatectomy, it is not necessarily a long-term problem that will persist after the prostate cancer surgery is complete.
Similar problems after radiotherapy
Both external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and brachytherapy can cause urinary problems, including:
- Bladder irritation (radiation cystitis)
- Needing to urinate more often (urinary frequency)
- A sudden urge to urinate (urinary urgency), and you may sometimes leak before you get to the toilet (urge incontinence)
- Difficulty urinating (urine retention)
- Urinary control
- Urinary leakage
- Urinary tract infection
Some men may leak urine after radiotherapy, but this is less common. It is more likely if you’ve previously had an operation called a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for an enlarged prostate.
Radioactive particles can irritate the lining of your bladder and urethra – radiation cystitis. Symptoms include: needing to urinate more often, including at night; a burning feeling when you finally make it out into public with an empty bowl (or something) for everyone else’s enjoyment but yours; difficulty in passing urine due not only because there may be complications from prostate cancer treatment such as obstruction which would result if blockages develop while handling radium dial painters, etc., though these are less likely than other possible sources like infections or common UTI’s; blood occurring during each episode.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while it is possible that Haematuria could be a long-term problem after prostatectomy, the majority of cases are found to have an underlying physical cause that is unrelated to the surgery itself. If you are experiencing Haematuria, it is important to speak with your healthcare provider so that any possible causes can be ruled out and proper treatment can be administered if necessary.
1) Make sure you follow your doctor’s post-operative instructions closely.
2) Get plenty of rest and allow your body time to heal.
3) Drink plenty of fluids in the days following surgery.
4) Avoid strenuous activity for at least two weeks after surgery.
The information on this page should be used as a general guide only. Always consult with your doctor for specific advice about your individual situation.