Prostatectomy

What Is a Prostatectomy? 

A prostatectomy is a procedure to remove your prostate. During a prostatectomy for prostate cancer, your surgeon also removes the seminal vesicles. These glands behind your prostate store the fluid that makes semen. The surgeon may keep one or both of the nerves that control erections intact. This approach helps preserve sexual function. The surgeon also uses techniques that help you quickly regain urinary control after surgery. We aim to limit the effect on your quality of life after surgery.

Who Is Eligible for Prostate Cancer Surgery?

A prostatectomy is the main surgical treatment for men with prostate cancer. It’s often a good choice for men under 70 with high- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Your care team will discuss all your treatment options with you, including if you’re a candidate for a prostatectomy.

What Happens During a Robotic Prostatectomy? 

At UCLA Health, our surgeons use robotic techniques to perform prostatectomies. During the procedure, your surgeon: 

1. Makes one or more small incisions, no larger than 1.2 centimeters, across your abdomen
2.  Uses robotic arms and a high-definition magnifying camera to access your prostate
3. Removes your prostate and seminal glands
4. Attaches your urethra (tube where urine and semen exit the body) directly to your bladder 
5. Closes the incisions with small stitches

The surgery lasts about two to three hours. You may stay in the hospital overnight or return home the same day.

Side Effects of Prostatectomy 

Our surgeons use techniques that lead to excellent results and minimal side effects. Still, there are some risks of a prostatectomy, including:

• Urine leakage: The main side effect of a prostatectomy is leaking urine when you cough or sneeze (incontinence). This leakage is common and usually goes away within about 12 months. At UCLA Health, our surgeons have developed techniques to better preserve the urethra and maintain your normal anatomy. These techniques result in regaining control of your bladder sooner. We also offer pelvic floor physical therapy during recovery to help you recover from incontinence faster. 
• Erectile dysfunction: Some men have trouble getting or maintaining an erection after surgery. To maintain your quality of life, our surgeons use techniques that preserve the nerves controlling erections. You also participate in penile rehabilitation. You take medicines, perform specialized exercises or learn other techniques that help improve healing for optimal sexual function.

Benefits of Prostatectomy 

Prostatectomies have been a mainstay of treatment for prostate cancer for decades, which means we have excellent data about how well they work. Benefits of a prostatectomy include:  

• Definitive staging: After we remove the prostate gland, we can analyze prostate tissue for cancer staging. Staging is a term for how much cancer has spread. Later-stage cancers may require additional treatments, so it’s important to stage cancer accurately.
• Increased survival rates: Data shows that a prostatectomy can provide an additional 10 to 20 years of survival after treatment, compared to nonsurgical treatments like radiation therapy.

Our minimally invasive approach to prostate removal also offers several benefits. Compared with traditional open surgical approaches, robotic techniques can offer: 

• Faster recovery 
• Increased precision while operating 
• Less pain 
• Reduced blood loss 
• Shorter hospital stays

UCLA Expertise in Prostatectomy for Prostate Cancer

UCLA Health surgeons have performed around 5,000 robotic prostatectomies in the two decades since our program began. We collaborate with multiple experts across UCLA Health so you get coordinated, targeted treatment. We offer: 

• Access to clinical trials: UCLA Health is a large research university, which means your doctors continually study the newest treatments. We lead and participate in multiple prostate cancer clinical trials, giving you access to promising new therapies. 
• Leading-edge techniques: Our surgeons developed a technique that allows us to use 3D virtual MRIs during prostate removal surgery. We take an MRI before surgery and then upload the image directly into the robotic operating console. This augmented reality surgical technique allows us to operate with exceptional precision and accuracy. We are also studying new types of imaging to use in the operating room and exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can help us improve your surgical care. 
• Increased quality of life: Our goal is to cure your cancer and preserve your quality of life. We prioritize approaches that minimize the effects on your sexual health and bladder and urethral function. You benefit from fewer side effects and improved healing.

Contact Us 

To find out more about prostatectomy for prostate cancer in Los Angeles and to schedule an appointment, please call the urology appointment line at 310-794-7700.