Prostate cancer affects more than 200,000 men annually, according to the National Cancer Institute. There may be long-term after effects with any type of treatment for prostate cancer, including surgical removal of the prostate gland or prostatectomy, according to the American Cancer Society. The surgical method used to remove the gland may limit some after effects, but each method has benefits and risks. Prostate cancer treatment options should be discussed with the doctor.
Immediate After-effects
There are surgical risks associated with prostatectomy similar to any major surgery. According to the American Cancer Society, there is a small risk of heart attack, stroke or blood clots in the leg that travel to the lungs and infection. Bleeding requiring blood transfusions may occur, as there are many blood vessels near the prostate gland that may be injured during surgery. Having a blood transfusion also carries risk of reaction.
Urinary Incontinence
After prostate surgery, patients may experience urinary incontinence or the inability to control the flow of urine. Leakage and dribbling may also occur. Most men recover some bladder control a few weeks to a few months after surgery, according to the National Cancer Institute. Incontinence is caused by damage to muscles and nerves of the bladder and urethra, the channel that allows urine to leave the body.
There are three types of incontinence that may continue after prostatectomy. Stress incontinence causes urine to leak when laughing, straining or exercising. Urge incontinence is an inability to control the need to urinate and occurs when the bladder is too sensitive to stretching. Overflow incontinence occurs when the bladder does not empty fully and may occur when scar tissue or cancer blocks the bladder outlet to the urethra. In very rare cases, men may have no control over urine flow. Large centers that do many prostate surgeries report fewer problems with incontinence, according to the American Cancer Society.
Impotence
Erectile dysfunction, or impotence, occurs when the nerves or blood vessels that allow men to get an erection are damaged or removed by prostatectomy. According to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, surgery's effect on a man's ability to achieve an erection depends on the type of surgical technique used, his age and his performance prior to surgery, and the size of the cancer. Because impotence may last for up to two years or more, medicines and other treatments may be needed to achieve sexual function. According to the American Cancer Society, impotence rates range from as low as 10 percent in men younger than 50 having nerve-sparing surgery to as high as 70 to 80 percent in men older than the age of 70.
Lymphedema
When lymph nodes are removed during prostate surgery, the channels that move lymph fluid from the body to the heart are blocked, causing a condition known as lymphedema. While rare, fluid may collect below the area of the surgery, such as in the legs or genital region, and cause swelling and pain, according to the American Cancer Society. Physical therapy treatments are used to manage symptoms, but lymphedema rarely subsides once it occurs.
