The prostate’s innermost core is removed, usually after spinal anesthesia (see above), without opening up the abdomen. This operation, called a TUR procedure, is a proven, effective way to improve BPH symptoms quickly, and keep them at bay for years. In a TUR procedure, surgeons reach the prostate via the urethra by placing an instrument like a cystoscope through the penis. This instrument, called a resectoscope, shines a powerful light that allows surgeons to view the prostate as they chip away at excess tissue. (This tiny instrument even has its own “windshield wiper,” which irrigates the lens and keeps the area clear for surgeons to see.) The prostate’s core is removed in fragments, by means of electrosurgical cautery. These tissue chips amass in the bladder, and at the end of the procedure, they’re flushed out, collected and sent to a pathologist for examination. Because the resectoscope is threaded through the urethra, no skin incision is needed.
A Foley catheter is inserted into the urethra and the bladder is continuously irrigated with a salt solution for the first twenty-four hours to prevent blood clots from forming. This catheter is usually removed in two to three days. The average hospital stay is one to three days. Most men have little or no pain after a TUR. When pain does occur, it’s usually because of bladder spasms, involuntary contractions of the thickened bladder around the Foley catheter. These usually go away when the catheter is removed. You should be feeling fully recovered in about three weeks.
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