{"id":4505,"date":"2026-02-23T22:10:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T21:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/urology\/prostatectomy-what-happens-after-surgery-and-what-to-do-at-home\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T18:04:37","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T17:04:37","slug":"prostatectomy-what-happens-after-surgery-and-what-to-do-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/urology\/prostatectomy-what-happens-after-surgery-and-what-to-do-at-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Prostatectomy: What happens after surgery and what to do at home"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>You&#8217;re leaving the clinic after a prostatectomy and wondering what to expect in the period following the procedure. Here&#8217;s a clear, practical, and reassuring guide to the essential steps to take, precautions to consider, and the usual medical follow-up after a prostatectomy. <\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p><iframe title=\"Prostatectomie, comment se passe le post-op\u00e9ratoire ?\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ph6Z0p2XzgU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Arrival at home and organization<\/h2>\n<p>You can return home the same day, the following morning, or later, depending on the medical team&#8217;s decision. The goal is to organize a safe and comfortable return home as possible. <\/p>\n<h2>Urinary catheter and urine management<\/h2>\n<p>You will most likely leave with a <strong>urinary catheter<\/strong> . It&#8217;s a small tube that comes out through the penis and allows urine to drain during the healing process. <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A small, discreet bag will be attached to the catheter for the day. You will empty it in the toilet approximately every two hours, as if you were going to urinate. <\/li>\n<li>For the night, you will be provided with a second, larger pouch to connect to the small pouch, in order to avoid getting up and to promote a good night&#8217;s sleep.<\/li>\n<li>The probe is usually removed by a home nurse on the 7th postoperative day. This procedure is painless and risk-free. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Leaks after probe removal<\/h2>\n<p>It is common to experience minor urinary leakage after catheter removal. Anticipate this by purchasing <strong>panty liners<\/strong> and opt for briefs or boxer shorts, as the liners adhere better to them. <\/p>\n<h2>Scars and skin care<\/h2>\n<p>You will have five small scars in a horizontal line at the level of your navel. They are protected by waterproof dressings for the first few days. <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You can shower after the procedure.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid prolonged baths which can hinder healing.<\/li>\n<li>From the 3rd day onwards, remove the dressing and leave the scars exposed to the air.<\/li>\n<li>Disinfect the scars morning and evening with betadine and monitor the appearance of the wounds.<\/li>\n<li>The stitches or staples are usually removed by a nurse on the 7th day, without pain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Compression stockings and anticoagulation<\/h2>\n<p>To reduce the risk of phlebitis, the anesthesiologist recommends wearing <strong>compression stockings<\/strong> . Wear them while the catheter is in place, then you can remove them. <\/p>\n<p>You will also receive anticoagulant injections to be administered daily for three weeks. A nurse can come to your home to administer these injections if necessary. <\/p>\n<h2>Pain, constipation and medication<\/h2>\n<p>You will be prescribed medication for pain and constipation. Rest is essential for a good recovery. If you experience significant discomfort, contact the healthcare team.  <\/p>\n<h2>Physical activity, work and sexuality<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Rest and restrictions<\/strong> : no significant physical exertion, no heavy lifting, no weight training and no abdominal exercises for 6 weeks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Time off work<\/strong> : generally between 4 and 6 weeks depending on your job and your recovery.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sexuality<\/strong> : abstinence for 4 weeks, even if erections return. Intercourse may cause significant pain during orgasm during the initial period. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Medical monitoring and oncological assessment<\/h2>\n<p>Six weeks after the procedure, an appointment with the urologist allows for a review of:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the general condition,<\/li>\n<li>urinary continence,<\/li>\n<li>the quality of erections,<\/li>\n<li>the final analysis of the prostate and the staging of the cancer if applicable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>PSA<\/strong> levels become undetectable immediately after a therapeutic prostatectomy. Subsequently, clinical monitoring and PSA testing are performed every 6 months for 15 years. <\/p>\n<h2>Practical checklist before heading out<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Urinary bags, small and large for nighttime use.<\/li>\n<li>Panty liners and suitable underwear (briefs or boxers).<\/li>\n<li>Compression stockings.<\/li>\n<li>Anticoagulant injections for 3 weeks and nurse contact details if necessary.<\/li>\n<li>Treatments for pain and constipation.<\/li>\n<li>Disinfectant for scars (betadine) and dressings if needed.<\/li>\n<li>Urology department contact numbers in case of fever, severe pain, unusual bleeding or urinary difficulties.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Reassuring messages<\/h2>\n<p>Most post-operative procedures are simple and well-tolerated. Removal of the catheter and the sutures or staples are painless. If you follow the activity precautions and prescribed follow-up, recovery is usually without complications.  <\/p>\n<h3>In summary<\/h3>\n<p>After a prostatectomy, home organization, urinary catheter management, scar care, wearing compression stockings, anticoagulant injections, rest, and medical follow-up are key elements for optimal recovery. Anticipate your supplies, adhere to any restrictions on strenuous activity, and schedule your follow-up appointments with your urologist. <\/p>\n<p>If you have specific questions about your situation, do not hesitate to contact your healthcare team for personalized advice.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/prostatectomie-comment-se-passe-le-post-operatoire-vtb-699ca0b141e16.jpg\" alt=\"Video thumbnail for 'Prostatectomy, what happens after the operation?'\"\/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You&#8217;re leaving the clinic after a prostatectomy and wondering what to expect in the period following the procedure. Here&#8217;s a clear, practical, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4479,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-urology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4505","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4505"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4505\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4564,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4505\/revisions\/4564"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}