Behavioral tips after prostate removal

Recommendations for everyday life

• You can perform all activities of your daily life normally and do not require any sparing. You should only avoid cycling and sauna sessions for the first six to eight weeks.
• Maintain your usual drinking amount.
• Empty your bladder at regular intervals (five to eight times of urination per day).
• Drink less in the evening so that you sleep through the night if possible.
• Make sure you have regular and soft bowel movements. A high-fiber diet and exercise are helpful.
• Showering is allowed, bathing after 14 days. Avoid direct sunlight on the abdomen for the first six months.

Aids

When you leave the hospital, you will receive urinary incontinence materials and a material prescription from us. The inserts are applied as follows:

• Level 2 insert: For light to moderate urine leakage:
  • Fold well to form a bowl shape. Wear wider part in front. Fix adhesive strip to the underwear
  • Wear tight briefs/boxer shorts
• Insert Absorin Comfort Mincy men: For medium loss:
  • Unfold sideways and attach tightly to body. Penis and testicles should be embedded
  • Wear tight briefs/boxer shorts

Physiotherapy for pelvic floor rehabilitation

Start with the pelvic floor exercises shown by your physical therapist after catheter removal. As a rule, the continence situation improves greatly in the first 14 days after catheter removal. You will receive a prescription for outpatient physical therapy from the attending physician.

If you would like to arrange physiotherapy for pelvic floor rehabilitation at the USZ NORD, please contact us at +41 44 255 24 98.

Continence counseling

If you have any questions related to urinary incontinence, our continence counseling service is available to help. If needed, you can make an appointment for assistive device fitting.

If you would like to arrange a continence consultation at the USZ, please contact us at +41 44 255 54 24.

Recovery of erectile function

If they have undergone vascular nerve sparing, early stimulation of erections with drug support may be indicated. Please consult your surgeon about this before discharge or at the first follow-up.

Aftercare and medical problems

• If the stitches on your wounds were not removed prior to discharge, they can be removed at your primary care physician’s office or at our outpatient clinic. This is usually done between the 10th and 14th day after surgery.
• The first follow-up visit will take place about six weeks after the operation in your surgeon’s office. The first measurement of the PSA value after surgery is usually taken at this appointment. Please keep the bladder diary for 24 hours for three consecutive days prior to this follow-up appointment. Bring the completed diary to the follow-up appointment. When you are on the road, you may estimate the amount of urine. It is important that you note the time intervals between toilet visits.
• After the operation, you may experience blue discoloration in the area of the wounds as well as pronounced swelling of the scrotum and occasionally of the legs. The latter are consequences of lymph node removal. Usually, the discoloration and swelling go away within the first month and there is no need to worry. However, if there is additional redness or pain, you should contact your health care provider.