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What you can expect
By Mayo Clinic staffBefore the surgery, you will receive general anesthesia, which will put you to sleep, or a spinal block, a local anesthetic that blocks feeling from the waist down.
During the procedure
The surgeon inserts a long, narrow device called a resectoscope into your urethra, the tube that transports both semen and urine to the penis. The resectoscope is equipped with a lens or camera, a very fine knife, valves to release an irrigating fluid, and an electrical wire.
The surgeon makes one or two incisions starting at the bladder neck and ending about halfway down the length of the prostate. The surgeon is essentially creating one or two grooves in the inner surface of the prostate gland to relieve pressure on the urethra.
The electrical wire is used to cauterize, or slightly burn, tissue to stop bleeding. The irrigating fluid is used to lubricate the urethra during the procedure and rinse away blood.
After the procedure
You will likely stay in the hospital for 24 hours after the surgery. You will have a catheter, a narrow tube inserted the entire length of your urethra, to drain your bladder into a collection bag. The catheter may be left in place for several days.
In the few weeks following your procedure, you may have:
- Difficulty emptying your bladder
- Difficulty controlling urine flow
- Some blood in the urine
- Some discomfort or pain when you urinate
When you are discharged from the hospital, you will have written instructions describing what to expect during the healing process and when to call your doctor.
Your ability to resume sexual activity will depend on how quickly the healing process occurs. Talk to your surgeon about when you can begin sexual activity again.
Self-care after surgery
Talk to your doctor about how quickly you can resume a normal routine after surgery. Self-care strategies that may help with the healing process include the following:
- Drink plenty of water
- Avoid physical exertion
- Avoid straining during a bowel movement
- Eat a balanced diet to avoid constipation
- Prostate enlargement: Benign prostatic hyperplasia. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostateenlargement. Accessed March 26, 2009.
- Cunningham GR, et al. Surgical and other invasive therapies of benign prostatic hyperplasia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 26, 2009.
- Keister D, et al. Managing BPH: When to consider surgery. American Family Physician. 2008;77:1375.
- Edwards JL. Diagnosis and management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. American Family Physician. 2008;77:1403.
- Anawalt BD. Male sexual dysfunction. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec17/ch227/ch227c.html. Accessed April 2, 2009.
- Fitzpatrick JM. Minimally invasive and endoscopic management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. In: Wein AJ, et al., eds. Campbell-Walsh Urology. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/128176228-3/821503196/1445/91.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50090-X--cesec83_6062. Accessed March 26, 2009.
