Prostatectomy (Prostate Removal)

Experience Expert Prostate Surgery Care

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) urologists offer many treatment options for conditions affecting the prostate gland and urinary tract. If other, more conservative treatment options are not enough to treat your condition, your care team may recommend a surgical procedure such as prostatectomy. During this procedure, the urologic surgeon removes the prostate.

Conditions We Treat

Prostate care specialists can use prostatectomy to treat: 

• Prostate cancer.
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). 
• Other prostate and urinary conditions. 

Our experienced care team will determine which treatment option is best for you. In most cases, they will try less invasive treatments before they suggest surgery. In some cases, and for your safety, your surgeon may switch to performing prostatectomy during the course of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).

Types of Prostatectomies

We offer several types of prostatectomies: 

• Open prostatectomy: In this procedure, the surgeon makes one five- to eight-inch incision (cut) in the lower abdomen. The surgeon uses traditional surgical tools to remove the prostate and nearby lymph nodes. 
• Laparoscopic prostatectomy: This minimally invasive approach uses multiple, small one-centimeter incisions. The surgeon performs the surgery by inserting and using thin specialized laparoscopic tools (and a camera) through the tiny incisions. The surgeon removes the prostate and nearby lymph nodes. 
• Robotic prostatectomy: This minimally invasive approach uses multiple, small one-centimeter incisions. The surgeon inserts thin specialized tools (and a camera) through the tiny incisions. Then, the surgeon uses a computer console to control the instruments for the surgery. Robotic surgery gives the surgeon superior 3-D visualization of prostate anatomy and more precise instrumentation. This allows them to perform the meticulous dissection necessary for high-quality prostatectomy. 

Get details on what to expect during your stay at the hospital.

Benefits of Minimally Invasive Prostate Surgery

Advances in minimally invasive technology mean that you can benefit from less invasive surgery to treat urologic conditions. These procedures offer excellent cure rates while reducing possible complications such as:

• Blood loss. 
• Infection. 
• Longer hospitalization. 
• Protracted pain. 
• Transfusions.

Compared to traditional, open surgery, robotic surgery allows your surgeon to see inside your body better and have enhanced control over surgical instruments. In expert hands, even those with high-grade cancer benefit from robotic surgery. BIDMC urologists have the skill and experience necessary to perform these complex procedures.