Upon being diagnosed with prostate cancer, your physician will recommend surgery to remove the prostate gland to prevent the spread of cancerous cells to other organs of the body. A physician will schedule a day for the procedure and inform you of the type of prostate surgery you will undergo. Most importantly, you need to get familiar with the procedure and its impact post-surgery so that you can prepare well. While a physician and a surgeon provide patients with all the information they need about prostate cancer surgery, it is always good to do personal research. This article highlights a few facts about the procedure.
Pre-Surgery Activity Levels — One preparation area for prostate cancer surgery that most people are unaware of is increasing physical fitness levels. Most patients believe that they should limit their activity levels pre-surgery, but nothing could be further from the truth. Notably, surgeons place patients in a "prostate boot camp" where they are required to walk a couple of miles daily to hasten the healing process. Therefore, if you are not in the right physical shape, you will struggle with the daily walks post-surgery. In this regard, physicians recommend that patients start and maintain a walking routine a couple of weeks before the surgery to make "prostate boot camp" exercises easier.
Blood Banking — Prostate cancer surgery, particularly the less invasive ones such as robotic or laser procedures, are pretty common because blood loss is minimal. Thus, the chances are high that a hospital might not ask you to donate blood. However, it is advisable to be safe rather than sorry and donate your blood a couple of weeks before surgery. The reason is that anything can happen during a surgical procedure — even the less invasive ones — and lead to excess blood loss. A surgeon will ask for the blood you donated in such a case. Thus, being proactive allows prostate cancer surgery to proceed without a hitch.
Sperm Banking — You should understand that prostatectomy removes the prostate gland and the nearby seminal vesicle, both of which are responsible for the production of seminal fluid. Unfortunately, it means that you cannot father children post-surgery. Therefore, if you are still at an age where you plan to have kids in the future, you should consider sperm banking before the surgical procedure. Sperm extracted directly from your testicles will be frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored for implanting into your partner's uterus wall when the time comes.
For more information on prostate cancer surgery, contact a professional near you.
Share24 January 2022
I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes ten years ago. Since my diagnosis, I have been committed to learning how to modify my lifestyle and adopt healthy practices, such as daily exercise and eating wholefoods, that help control my diabetes and improve my quality of life. I started this blog to connect with others living with this condition and to share what I've learned on my personal journey to better health. I also update the blog with the latest research and news relating to type 2 diabetes. If you have a specific question that's not been addressed in a blog post, feel free to send me an email.
