Dr. David B. Samadi, Chief of Division of Robotics and Minimal Invasive Surgery for Mount Sinai School of Medicine, discusses continence and male erection after robotic prostatectomy. He says that with the majority of patients, they are dry within 3 months. Patients who wear pads do so for safety reasons.
About 10% of patients struggle with continence after robotic prostatectomy. However, it is just a matter of time before this inconvenience is fixed. With the help of specialists and exercises, incontinence goes away.
Kegel exercises are often done wrong. It’s hard to educate. Everyone does it differently. But majority of patients in one year get their continence back and reduce need for pads. Factors for continence include obesity, improper or inadequate Kegel exercises, lower urinary tract symptoms pre-op.
Dr. Samadi advocates conservative management with patients, counsels them to do their exercises, see their doctor every 3-6 months for improvement and heal at their own speed. Dr. Samadi says that preliminary studies show there is no strong data to support the use of Viagra after surgery. Insurance companies only give 6 pills at a time.
Sometimes, Dr. Samadi prescribes low doses of Viagra every night. 3 years of data shows that erectile function comes back 90% of cases when following Dr. Samadi’s treatment. If nerves are intact, then Viagra Cialis & Levitra will work.
How does robotic surgery affect the sexual function?
Robotic surgery is a minimally invasive technique that is often used to treat prostate cancer. It is a less invasive procedure than traditional surgeries, which are usually more painful and have a longer recovery time.
Robotic prostatectomy has reduced the list of post-operation side effects to two main points: erectile dysfunction and urinay incontience. No matter how skillful the surgeon is, it is possible that the prostate tumor is located near sensitive nerve tissue. By removing parts of the prostate gland, surgeons may need to work close to the penile nerves which are consequently damaged in the process.
Furthermore, a set of muscles responsible of organ stiffness and ejaculation control during intercourse may happen to be temporarily deactivated during the surgical intervention. The weakening of these muscles also contributes to the impairment of men’s sexual function.
However, the fine precision that robotic surgery unlocks is keeping the side effects to a minimum. Robotic prostatectomy increases chances of “nerve sparing”, that is the prevention of nerve damage.
How long does erectile dysfunction last after robotic prostatectomy?
Erectile dysfunction is the inability to attain and maintain an erection adequate for sexual intercourse. This deterioration of the sexual function is common among men who have undergone a prostatectomy.
The recovery time for erectile dysfunction after robotic prostatectomy is not as long as it is after a traditional prostatectomy. That’s because the incision and removal of the prostate gland are done through small incisions in the perineum and pelvic area. The surgery also leaves less scarring than a traditional approach to removing the prostate gland.
Over the last years, post-operation recovery has become a gradual process that can last up to a year. However, each patient should recover at his own pace and focus on his health, without the pressure of meeting a deadline.
Is erection after robotic prostatectomy possible?
As long as men with normal sexual activity and their doctors catch signs of prostate cancer in its early stages, the post-operation recovery can fully restore erectile function. Nonetheless, even in the best of cases the penile area needs time to heal itself after robotic prostatectomy.
The number one prority of patients who have undergone robotic prostatectomy is to promote blood flow to the penis. This way, the muscles and tissue in that area receive oxygen and will regain their ability to stretch themselves in an erection once penile nerves get back to normal.
Patients can start working on penile rehabilition even before robotic prostatectomy. They can run tests on blood flow and testosterone levels to see how they can promote erectile function performance through medication.
On the other hand, erectile rehabilition after surgery can begin a few weeks later. There are different treatment options that can accelerate penile rehabilitation such as Intra-urethral suppository, medication, vacuum device therapies, penile implants.
What determines erection recovery after surgery?
The most important factor that encourage erection after prostate removal is the patient’s postoperatory potency condition. As long as this status is perceived as strong before the surgery, the recovery can be swift postoperatory.
There are other agents that dictate the outcome of postoperative recovery. Age and the neurovascular bundle preservation are influencing the way patients go through their healing.
On the other hand, patients’ pathological stage has no influence on erection recovery after surgery.
Medical therapy for erection after robotic prostatectomy
Erectile dysfunction is a common side-effect of prostate cancer treatment. Men who have normal sexual function before prostatectomy are likely to regain erectile function after the surgery. For those who have erectile dysfunction before the treatment, it may take a while for them to recover their sexual function.
The medical therapy for ED after robotic prostatectomy includes medication and vacuum devices. Medication is usually used in men with mild or moderate erectile dysfunction while vacuum devices are often used in men with more severe erectile dysfunction.
The most common medical therapy relies on Viagra prescriptions in order to improve blood flow to the penis and promote an erection. Other medications concern sildenafil, vardenafil, or tadalafil.
Does Viagra work after robotic prostatectomy? Men ought to understand that the main goal of the pills in the first two months after surgery is not penetrative intercourse. This medication is in place in order to keep the tissue well oxygenated so that it doesn’t lose elasticity.
Facts about potency after robotic prostatectomy
Robotic prostatectomy is a surgery that removes the prostate gland with the aid of robotic arm and equipment. The surgery has been shown to be safe, effective, and easier to recover from than other surgical methods. This leaves better odds of recovery for potency. Here are other potency facts after robotic prostatectomy:
- The two main potential side effects of robotic prostatectomy remain to this day: urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.
- Studies show that robotic prostatectomy outcomes concerning potency are better than those in the case of classic prostatectomy at 12 months of recovery.
- The average time of potency recovery after robotic prostatectomy is between 6 and 12 months.
- Most men who have detected prostate cancer in its early stages and took action in this direction can regain satisfying sex lives after robotic prostatectomy.
Dr. David Samadi is the Director of Men’s Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He’s a renowned and highly successful board certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with a vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. Dr. Samadi is a medical contributor to NewsMax TV and is also the author of The Ultimate MANual, Dr. Samadi’s Guide to Men’s Health and Wellness, available online both on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Visit Dr. Samadi’s websites at robotic oncology and prostate cancer 911.