Prostate Cancer Surgery Linked To Erectile Dysfunction
The commonly noticed and diagnosed solid tumor in American men is the prostate cancer. Men has a 17 percent chance of developing prostate carcinoma tumors in their older years. However, prostate cancer can be treated through the use of medicines or surgical procedures, according to online health sources. Compared to the two, surgical procedure is better than medicinal treatment. The following are considered to be the common reason why people undergo prostate cancer surgery:
Inability to completely empty the bladder
Recurrent bleeding from the prostate
Bladder stones due to the enlargement of the prostate
Very slow urination
Increased pressure on the ureters and kidneys due to urinary retention
The risk of erectile dysfunction or impotence may happen following the surgery and in which may depend on the type of surgery, stage of cancer, and the skill of the surgeon. Erectile dysfunction is the inability of developing and sustaining an erection satisfactory for sexual intercourse. Men who chose surgical treatment over medication may experienced erectile dysfunction. The use of early medication can restore erectile dysfunction. The failure to seek treatment may be due to embarrassment, financial instability, and threatened masculinity.
Recovery from erectile function may take up to two years after surgery and may not be complete. The mechanically induced stretching that may occur during prostate retraction, thermal damage to nerve tissue caused by electrocoagulative cautery during surgical dissection, injury to nerve tissue amid attemps to control surgical bleeding, and local inflammation effects associated with surgical trauma are believed to be the reasons behind delayed recovery.
Anyhow, a minimally invasive surgery that treats heart disease, known as robotic surgery, is also used to treat prostate cancer. But there are allegations that the maker of device used in robotic surgery has failed to notify the public of its product dangerous side effects. The FDA has recommended patients that before deciding to undergo a robotic surgery, they need to talk to their respective doctors in order to determine if da Vinci is the best surgical procedure for them.
References:
hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/test_procedures/urology/radical_prostatectomy_92,P09111/
urology.jhu.edu/prostate/erectyle_dyssfunction.php
webmd.com/prostate-cancer/guide/impotence-prostate-cancer
mayoclinic.com/health/open-prostatectomy/MY00610/DSECTION=what-you-can-expect
clinicaladvisor.com/erectile-dysfunction-after-prostate-cancer/article/197330/
