Radical Prostatectomy

Overview

Open radical prostatectomy.

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Radical prostatectomy, often simply called prostatectomy, is the surgical removal of the prostate gland, most often for prostate cancer, although it's also used to treat cases of severe benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Mayo Clinic prostate specialists are leaders in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate conditions, treating more men with prostate cancer than any other medical institution in the world. Mayo surgeons routinely perform an average of 1,500 prostatectomy procedures each year, a depth of experience that means Mayo Clinic's prostate care teams offer the highest-available degree of expertise in radical prostatectomy surgery.

Mayo Clinic's approach to open radical prostatectomy is designed for quick recovery, with limited surgical scarring and tissue trauma. Additionally, pre-emptive use of analgesics, administered by an anesthesiologist, has shown promise in helping patients experience less postsurgical pain.

Mayo Clinic surgeons' extensive experience — more than 20,000 radical prostatectomy procedures since the late 1960s — has led to excellent results in preserving essential urologic functions. Patients who undergo the nerve-sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy procedure are more likely to retain erectile function and less likely to experience urinary problems such as leakage.

An alternative to open radical prostatectomy also routinely performed by Mayo surgeons is robotic prostatectomy with almost identical excellence in outcomes. Mayo Clinic surgeons have performed more than 2,000 robotic procedures to date across its campuses in Rochester, Minn., Jacksonville, Fla., and Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz.

Mayo Clinic also maintains a large prostatectomy treatment database that helps physicians and researchers track past patient treatment protocols and outcomes and helps identify treatment options to give each patient the best chance for recovery.

Read more about radical prostatectomy at Mayo Clinic.