HealthInfo Canterbury
Prostate surgery (TURP)
Pokanga repe tātea
Transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) is an operation to remove part of your prostate gland. It's commonly used to treat urinary problems due to an enlarged prostate.
The prostate is a small gland located between your penis and bladder. It surrounds your urethra (the tube that carries urine from your bladder to your penis, where it leaves your body). The prostate helps to make semen.
The prostate enlarges as you get older. As your prostate becomes enlarged, it squeezes your urethra. This can cause problems passing urine, such as:
- trouble starting to urinate
- a weak stream
- trouble stopping the flow, or dribbling
- flow stopping and starting
- often having an urgent need to go to the toilet
- feeling the need to go more often, sometimes with small amounts or none coming out
- getting up more than once at night.
Doctors usually recommend a TURP when your symptoms significantly affect your day-to-day living and aren't helped by medication.
During a TURP
During a TURP, a thin instrument called a resectoscope is passed up the urine tube (urethra) from the tip of the penis. Small pieces of the prostate are cut away through the instrument.
A tube (urinary catheter) is then placed through your urethra to your bladder and fluid is used to flush out the pieces.
After a TURP
You'll usually have the catheter in your bladder for one to two days after your surgery.
Once it's removed, it's usual to have some trouble peeing and some blood in your pee for a few weeks.
Rare complications after a TURP include bleeding, loss of control of urine (incontinence), and narrowing of the urethra (stricture).
A TURP doesn't usually affect sexual function. But some men find they no longer have any fluid (ejaculate) when they have an orgasm. This is because the fluid goes into the bladder instead of out the penis. This doesn’t reduce sexual pleasure but can have an effect on fathering a child.
Self-care after a TURP
It usually takes three to four weeks to fully recover from a TURP. During this time, you should:
- drink lots of fluid to help flush out your bladder
- avoid strenuous activity such has heavy lifting
- don't have sex.
Important
Seek urgent medical help if:
- you have a high temperature
- you have severe pain when peeing
- you can't pee
- there's a lot of blood in your pee or this gets worse
- there are blood clots in your pee.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- NHS – Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)
More detailed information about TURP surgery. The pages explain how the operation is done and what to expect after the operation.
- Continence New Zealand – Continence and prostate
Advice about improving and managing your incontinence after prostate surgery.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed July 2022.
Sources
Review key: HIPRH-45800
