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Incontinence After Prostate Surgery
A Guide to Recovery and Management
By Kelly Burgess
After Linwood Wright, 68, of Danville, Va., had his prostate removed following a diagnosis of prostate cancer, he suffered from incontinence that he thought would eventually clear up on its own. Although it did get better, now, five years after his surgery, he is still dealing with what he terms a "minimal" problem with bladder control.
Wright's case is not uncommon, as incontinence is a frequent side effect of prostate surgery. However, according to Dr. Judd Moul, director of the Center for Prostate Disease Research in Washington, D.C., in most cases it lasts only a few weeks. Occasionally, though, it may linger, leaving the patient to manage a permanent case of incontinence.
Many prostate conditions cause bladder weakness or other urinary problems in men. This is because the prostate gland surrounds the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine through the penis. Until puberty, the prostate is the size of a small marble, but after puberty it gradually grows to about the size of a golf ball. After about age 50, the prostate begins to grow again.
Sometimes this growth doesn't cause any problems at all. However, in some men, the prostate enlarges to the point that it acts as a "clamp" against the urethra, resulting in symptoms such as difficulty starting urination, frequent urination or incontinence. If the problems become severe enough, surgery may be required to correct them.
Men may also experience incontinence as an aftereffect of surgery to remove a cancerous prostate. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men. However prostate cancer has an overall cure rate of 97 percent, and when caught early, has a cure rate of 100 percent.
