Transurethral resection of the prostate - discharge


Definition

You had transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) surgery to treat an enlarged prostate. This article tells you how to take care of yourself at home after the procedure.

Alternative Names

TURP - discharge; Prostate resection - transurethral - discharge

When You're in the Hospital

You had transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) surgery to treat an enlarged prostate.

Your surgeon inserted a tube-like tool called a cystoscope (or endoscope) through your urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the penis). Your surgeon used a special cutting tool to remove part of your prostate gland piece by piece.

What to Expect at Home

You can expect to start doing most of your normal activities in 3 to 6 weeks. Problems you may notice include:

Self-care

You should rest as often as you need to the first few weeks after surgery. But you should also do regular, short periods of movement to build up your strength. While resting, continue to do some of the bedside exercises and breathing techniques your nurse showed you.

Gradually return to your normal routine. You should not do any strenuous activity, lifting (more than 5 pounds or more than 2 kilograms), or driving for 3 to 6 weeks.

Try taking regular, short walks. Work up to longer walks to build up your strength. You can return to work when you are better and can tolerate most activities.

Drink plenty of water to help flush fluids through the bladder (8 to 10 glasses a day). Avoid coffee, soft drinks, and alcohol. They can irritate your bladder and urethra.

Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fiber. You may use a stool softener or fiber supplement to help prevent constipation, which can delay the healing process.

For the first few weeks after surgery, take only the medicines your health care provider has told you to take.

You may take showers. If you have a catheter, do not take baths until it is removed. Make sure your provider clears you for baths to make sure your incisions are healing well.

Avoid sexual activity for 3 to 4 weeks. Many men report a lower amount of semen during orgasm after having TURP.

Urinary Catheters

You may feel spasms in your bladder and may feel like you need to urinate while you have a urinary catheter in place. Your provider can give you medicine for these spasms. You may have urine come out around the catheter because of the bladder spams. This is normal.

You will need to make sure your indwelling catheter works right. You will also need to know how to clean the tube and the area where it attaches to your body. This will prevent infection and skin irritation. There should be urine draining and filling the bag if the catheter is working properly. Call your provider if you have not seen any urine drain in an hour.

The urine in your drainage bag may look darker red. This is normal.

After your catheter is removed:

When to Call the Doctor

Contact your provider if:

While you have a urinary catheter, call your provider if:

References

Delongchamps NB. Surgical management of LUTS/BPH: new mini-invasive techniques. In: Morgia G, ed. Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. Cambridge, MA: Elsevier Academic Press; 2018:chap 14.

Helo S, Welliver C, McVary KT. Minimally invasive and endoscopic management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. In: Partin AW, Domochowski RR, Kavoussi LR, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 146.

Roehrborn CG, Strand DG. Benign prostatic hyperplasia: etiology, pathophysiology, epidemiology, and natural history. In: Partin AW, Domochowski RR, Kavoussi LR, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 144.


Review Date: 4/1/2023
Reviewed By: Kelly L. Stratton, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Department of Urology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
© 1997- adam.comAll rights reserved.
 
A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.