Urinary incontinence is usually a temporary inconvenience after surgery, and the majority of men regain urinary control within two or three months. Some men will continue to lose small amounts of urine with sneezing, coughing or exertion. Such procedures include surgical placement of an artificial urinary sphincter or out-patient collagen injections. Bladder neck contracture , or the internal scarring at the bladder outlet which restricts the flow of urine, occurs in about five percent of patients. If the restriction is severe enough, the stricture can be dilated or incised.
Infection is rare, but is always a possibility with surgery.
The risk of death associated with surgery is less than one half of a percent, but this varies with age and overall health. After your prostatectomy, you will be seen for a follow-up appointment seven days after surgery to remove the skin clips, then two weeks after surgery to remove the urinary catheter. You will have a PSA blood test at six weeks after surgery, at three months and six months after surgery, then every six months for five years, then yearly thereafter. If possible, have your PSA test done one to two weeks prior to your follow-up appointments so the results will be available ahead of time. Bassett, Epstein and Strauss consult on a patient'sprogress.