What is Prostate gland

Prostate gland is a walnut-shaped male reproductive part that releases a specific fluid called seminal fluid for nourishment and movement of sperms.
Due to certain reasons, if prostate gland cells begin developing abnormally, it causes tumor or tissue mass formation in the prostate, which is called prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer requires immediate treatment for which surgery known as prostatectomy is performed.

Types of Prostate gland

Prostatectomy has two types including open radical prostatectomy
and laparoscopic prostatectomy.

Open radical prostatectomy.

Open radical prostatectomy is a surgical procedure in which surgeon makes a large incision or cut to remove the prostate cancer. Based on incision site, open radical prostatectomy has further two types which include radical retropubic prostatectomy
and radical perineal prostatectomy.

Radical retropubic prostatectomy

Before surgery

Before surgery, doctor collects patient’s medical history
and patient receives general anesthesia to become unconscious.

During surgery

During surgery, a large cut is made in lower abdominal region of patient that goes down from belly button to pubic bone,
through which tumor growth is identified in the prostate gland and removed. If surgeon suspects cancer spread from prostate to lymph nodes, a lymph node sample is sent to lab for tumor identification. If tumor is present in the lymph nodes meaning that the prostate cancer progressed to a metastatic stage,
then surgeon quit the surgery without removing the prostate gland
because removing prostate gland in this condition may cause serious side effects. On the contrary, if no tumor is present in the lymph sample, surgeon removes the prostate gland and small part of its surrounding tissues and close the wound with sutures.

After surgery

After surgery, a thin flexible tube such as catheter is placed through urethra into the bladder that stays there for 2-3 weeks for proper drainage of urine. While patients are discharged after few days of hospital stay.

Radical perineal prostatectomy

This surgery is also performed similar to radical retropubic prostatectomy; however, this procedure involves removing prostate cancer through large cut made in the perineum portion instead of lower abdomen. Besides, lymph nodes cannot be removed through radical perineal prostatectomy, while side effects of surgery include erectile dysfunction etc.