Prostatectomy Surgery Abroad

Prostatectomy surgery abroad at low cost and high quality is now within reach through WorldMed Assist. We arrange all aspects of your prostatectomy abroad and will act as your patient advocate. We have partnerships with the best hospitals in several countries, including hospitals that have strategic relationships with Johns Hopkins and Harvard Medical.

Options for quality prostatectomy abroad include:

What is a prostatectomy

A prostatectomy is the surgical removal of the prostate gland, or part of it. Abnormalities of the prostate, such as a tumor, or if the gland itself becomes enlarged for any reason, can restrict the normal flow of urine.

Prostatectomy: the treatment options

There are several forms of a prostatectomy, with each having their specific application. Here is an overview of the most common ones:

TURP prostatectomy. TURP stands for ‘transurethral resection of the prostate’. It is performed by accessing the prostate through the urethra and removing the section of the prostate that is blocking urine flow. This is a common operation for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and outcomes are excellent for a high percentage of these patients (80-90%). TURP is now the most common surgery used to remove part of an enlarged prostate.
Open Prostatectomy. Open prostatectomies (in which an incision is made into the abdomen) generally are needed only when the prostate is very large and can be applied when either part of or the entire prostate gland needs to be taken out. Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy. This approach involves making small incisions in the abdomen, followed by removal of the entire prostate gland and is needed in cases of prostate cancer.
Da Vinci Prostatectomy. The Da Vinci Prostatectomy is a robotic-assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy, where the laparoscopic robotic arms are controlled by a surgeon. The robot gives the surgeon much more dexterity than conventional laparoscopy while offering advantages over open prostatectomy: much smaller incisions, less pain, less bleeding, less risk of infection, faster healing time, and shorter hospital stay. While the cost of such procedures is high, costs are declining rapidly.
HIFU. As a non-surgical approach to prostate problems, a new approach exists: HIFU: High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound. This treatment has been in use outside of the US in countries such as Mexico. HIFU uses an intense heat from focused sound waves to kill cancer cells. HIFU is also used for men who have cancer inside the prostate but who cannot have surgery. HIFU is not yet FDA-approved for use in the United States.

Prostatectomy recovery

The hospital stay after prostatectomy varies largely depending on the approach and ranges from 1 to 7 days. As is usual, the length of stay in one of our partner hospitals abroad is usually much longer than what you will find in the US for the same procedure. Strenuous activity, constipation, and sexual activity should be avoided for about 6 weeks. Symptoms such as frequent urination will continue for a while because of irritation and inflammation caused by the treatment, but they should ease during the first 6 weeks.

Set realistic expectations

Removing the prostate gland, or part of it, during surgery can cause impotence (not being able to have an erection) and urinary incontinence (not being able to control urination). Destroying the prostate gland with radiation may cause impotence and incontinence, but not as much as surgery can. But radiation sometimes causes diarrhea and bowel problems. Hormone therapy can cause loss of sex drive and erections, risk of weak bones (osteoporosis), hot flashes, and weight gain. The ability to have an erection sometimes returns or at least improves over time. So does the ability to control urine leakage.