Transurethral Resection of Prostate (TURP)
Date issued: February 2016
For review: February 2018
Ref: A-241/Ward/SP/Transurethral Resection of Prostate (TURP) v2
PDF: Transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) [pdf] 153KB
At home following your TURP
What should I expect when I get home?
When you leave hospital you should be given a discharge summary of your admission. If you need to call your GP or attend another hospital for any reason please take this summary with you. This is important if you need to consult another doctor within a few days of your discharge.
Most patients feel tired and below par for a week or two following this surgery, over this period any urinary frequency usually settles gradually.
It is common to see some further bleeding on returning home which will settle. Bleeding can occur at 10-14 days after the operation as the scab on the inside of the prostate falls off. This is usually not a problem and we encourage you to drink plenty of fluids. Intermittent blood in the urine can occur for about a month after the operation. Occasionally the bleeding does not settle and you should seek medical advice from your GP, if the bleeding is more severe you will need to come back into hospital.
Patients are not routinely seen in outpatients following TURP, but you should receive a letter with the results of your tissue samples a few weeks after surgery.
Removal of your prostate should not adversely affect erections provided you are getting normal erections before surgery.
You may notice however that you do not ejaculate any fluid. Sexual activity can be resumed as soon as you are comfortable, usually 3- 4 weeks. If you do produce ejaculatory fluid this may be bloody for many weeks after surgery
It is often helpful to start pelvic floor exercises as soon as possible after the operation since this can improve your control when you get home. The symptoms of an overactive bladder (the urgent desire to pee and peeing more frequently) may take 3 months to resolve whereas the flow is improved immediately.
Most patients require a recovery period of 2-3 weeks at home before they feel ready to return to work. We recommend 3-4 weeks rest especially if it is a physically strenuous job and you should avoid any heavy lifting during this time
Driving after surgery
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fit to drive following your surgery. You do not normally have to notify DVLA unless you have a medical condition that will last for longer than 3 months after your surgery and may affect your ability to drive.
You should, however, check with your insurance company before returning to driving.
Contact
If you have any questions regarding your diagnosis or problems associated with your surgery please contact your GP or one of the following:
Lynher Ward
Telephone: 01752 792274
Urology Specialist Nurses Chestnut Unit
Telephone: 01752 763944 (Monday-Friday)
