We have standards of excellence in radical retropubic prostatectomy (from behind the pubic bone - through an incision in the lower abdomen – see picture below)  which is the most extensively used technique nowadays.

Under epidural anesthesia(Regional anesthesia in a limited part of the body) which is an advantage over General Anesthesia (affects the entire body and makes the person unconscious) that in itself is a risk for the patient.  This surgery typically takes 2 ½ to 3 hours.  No intensive care room attention is necessary after the surgery. Since the best blood you can get is your own, you donate one unit (half a liter) of your own blood 3 days before the surgery since that is what 90% of patients need at most.

Our death rate is 0% for this type of surgery: It is not a life threatening surgery. The patient begins to walk and eat the next day.  Pain is 100% under control.

There may be two side effects:

Due to anatomical relationship of the prostate to the nerve bundles adjacent to it, which are responsible for erection, they may be accidentally damaged thus leading to IMPOTENCY.  Even in those cases that this does not occur, the highest rate is 60% of patients who can maintain an erection after the surgery.

For those patients who cannot achieve and maintain an erection a "protesis de pene" is the solution.  This is a non-traumatic surgery that can be performed 3 to 6 months after the prostatectomy and is independent from it.

Second potential side effect:

INCONTINENCE, the inability to hold urine inside the bladder voluntarily or prevent its leakage, may occur if the outer striated urethral sphincter is accidentally damaged during the surgery.  We have not had a single case in the past 13 years!  We can probably say that the risk is 0% in our hands.