Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)

Why do you perform TURP?

TURP is carried out to alleviate symptoms that arise from benign prostate hyperplasia, such as:

• Increased urge to urinate
• Trouble initiating a urinary stream
• Slow or long urination
• More frequent visits to the bathroom in the evening
• Stopping and starting urination
• The feeling as if you have not emptied the bladder completely
• Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)

How do you perform TURP?

The resectoscope is gently guided through the penis tip and navigated through the urethra and region of the prostate. In this case, the surgeon doesn’t necessarily need to create any incisions on the exterior of the body. Therefore, tissue may be trimmed from the inside of the prostate gland. This is performed one specific fragment at a time in order to ensure all the tiny pieces of tissue are removed from the inside.

Following the procedure, you may need to stay in the hospital for a day or two. During this time, a urinary catheter is inserted to manage the swelling that may obstruct urine flow. Please be reassured that this is a temporary measure. The catheter will be removed as soon as the swelling subsides, and you can urinate without assistance.

You may experience the following effects directly after the procedure:

• Spots of blood in the urine: It’s quite common to develop traces of blood in the urine soon after the procedure. Call your doctor immediately if you notice any unusual textures of the blood (thickened blood).
• Pain while urinating, which may take several weeks to subside.