Both prostate removal and partial prostate removal are both effective ways of dealing with severe prostate symptoms, but not every one with prostate problems will be eligible for surgery.
Understanding the risks, side effects and alternatives to these procedures and discussing them with your doctor is the best way to determine if these procedures are right for you.
There are two types of prostate removal procedures. One is a full removal used to treat prostate cancer and the other is a partial removal used to treat an enlarged prostate.
A full prostate removal is called a radical prostatectomy. This procedure is not performed on every patient with the disease but it is one of the most common ways of fighting the cancer. In fact, when used in combination with radiotherapy, it can be a very effective way of removing the cancer. Considering the fact that there are around three thousand men that are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in Victoria alone, the procedure has become quite common.
Both prostate removal and partial prostate removal are both effective ways of dealing with severe prostate symptoms, but not every one with prostate problems will be eligible for surgery.
Anyone that is considering having this procedure done should be aware that there are certain risks associated with it. Some of the risks are the same as any other surgical operation, including the risk of deep vein thrombosis, bleeding, blood clotting, infection or damage to organs near the site of the procedure.
There are also side effects that can appear after the procedure is done that can be a concern for many men. For example, an estimated eight out of ten men reported suffering from impotence after the procedure was performed . Another worrying side effect can be incontinence. However, both of these side effects typically improve over time and can also be treated medically on their own.
While prostate removal can greatly improve the chances of beating prostate cancer, not everyone with the disease is eligible. Successful candidates are usually those that are relatively young and are considered to be otherwise healthy. Since this procedure is used in the effort to stop the spread of the cancer to other parts of the body, those that find that their cancer has already spread may not be considered eligible for the procedure.
When the prostate is enlarged because of a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia, the symptoms can vary between very mild to painful and intense. In the worst cases, a partial prostate removal, called a transurethral resection of the prostate, may be suggested. However, it should be kept in mind that the same side effects as the full prostate removal can also occur, namely the impotence and incontinence.
The good news is that BPH, as it is commonly called, is not typically associated with prostate cancer and is not considered to be life threatening. Because of this, alternatives are sometimes suggested in order to avoid this invasive surgery and only those with the worst symptoms are considered eligible to have it done. Research has shown that following a low-fat diet and adding certain supplements to the diet have not only helped the worst symptoms if the condition, but can also help prevent it. Since this condition is fairly common in men over sixty, this news may come as something of a relief.
