The radical Retropubic Prostatectomy surgery is perhaps the most popular form of prostate cancer surgery. The main reason for the wide usage of this form of surgery is the flexibility offered to the surgeons who take on the responsibility of conducting this operation. This is in great contrast to the less opted for Perineal Prostatectomy which offers very little scope for individually sampling the lymph nodes during the incision. Lymph nodes are distributed all over the human body and their primary function is to trap foreign particles that are harmful for the body through the white blood cells thereby helping the body in warding off infections of any kind. Retropubic Prostatectomy helps in minimizing the damage caused to the lymph nodes thereby retaining the protection offered to the body by these organs and to the nerves of the penis  which if not properly segregated might get damaged resulting in erectile dysfunction or other associated problems.

The usual method used for the Retropubic Prostatectomy is through an incision in the lower abdomen below the navel to usually an inch above the base of the penis. The pelvis is then explored thoroughly. The experienced surgeon then identifies the important structures within that area. This includes the urinary bladder, prostate, urethral blood vessels and other nerves which are identified. Soon after this the surgeon removes the prostate from the urethra below as well as from the bladder above. The next step he does is to reconnect the bladder and the urethra. After this the surgeon hastens to tie the blood vessels that are leading to and from the prostate which he has divided in the course of the removal of the prostate.

The recovery in Retropubic Prostatectomy cases is very fast and the patient is able to walk and eat within 24 hours of the surgery. This is indeed a great advantage for the patient. Before being discharged a catheter is inserted through the penis into the bladder for draining urine. This remains for one or two weeks. Effective bladder control may not be achieved if removed within the first week of the surgery. Besides this the surgeon usually carves out a drain by surgical method and this is left in the pelvis for allowing drainage of blood and other fluids. This is allowed to remain for several days. Retropubic Prostatectomy also involves removal of affected lymph nodes and these are taken for lab tests. One of the best things about this surgery is that there is less surgical trauma where nerves of that area are concerned. This of course helps in the protection of the nerves of the penis and excludes the possibility of the occurrence of erectile dysfunction which could be a point of concern to younger patients especially. But this again depends upon whether the cancer has spread beyond the prostate wherein the effected nerves too would have to be incised. Indeed, here too the operation must be done by a surgeon having extensive experience in Retropubic Prostatectomy surgery.

The success of the Retropubic Prostatectomy greatly depends upon the capabilities of an experienced surgeon as seen in most cases. A miscalculated move on the part of the surgeon can pave way for serious complications like the loss of urinary control and impotence. This can cause post operational stress and place the patient under severe psychological strain. In many cases especially where there is a possibility of erectile dysfunction the patient may be given professional counseling and assistance. Those who have been attended to be skilled and experienced surgeons would attest to the fact that this procedure is by far the most convenient in terms of the actual surgical procedure and the recovery time as well.