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Transurethral prostatectomy for prostatitis

This procedure involves removal of part of the prostate gland through the urethra.

A long, thin tube with a viewing instrument (cystoscope) attached is inserted into the urethra. Prostate tissue is removed through the cystoscope.

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What To Expect After Surgery

You are usually hospitalized for 2 to 3 days. Complete recovery generally requires 3 to 4 weeks.

Why It Is Done

This surgery may be done for:

Chronic bacterial prostatitis that resists antibiotic treatment, with or without infected prostate stones (prostatic calculi).
Repeated urinary tract infections because of another prostate problem for which surgery may be appropriate, such as prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH).

How Well It Works

Very few studies have been done to see how well this surgery works for prostatitis. It is not usually recommended as a treatment for prostatitis.¹

But this surgery may be worth trying if nothing else has worked, your symptoms are severe, and you feel depressed or upset.

Risks

Urinary incontinence
Inability to get or keep an erection (erectile dysfunction)

What To Think About

To eliminate category II (chronic bacterial) prostatitis successfully, the surgery must completely remove the portion of the prostate that contains the infection.

Complete the surgery information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you prepare for this surgery.

Citations
Nickel JC (2007). Inflammatory conditions of the male genitourinary tract: Prostatitis and related conditions, orchitis, and epididymitis. In AJ Wein et al., eds., Campbell-Walsh Urology, 9th ed., vol. 1, pp. 304-329. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.

By	Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Christopher G. Wood, MD, FACS - Urology, Oncology
Last Revised	January 6, 2010

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: January 06, 2010

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.