Prostatectomy FAQs

If your doctor has suggested a radical prostatectomy as a treatment to prostate cancer, we believe it may be in your best interests to consider robotic prostate surgery at AdventHealth. The robotic-assisted prostatectomy is a good treatment option for patients who have been diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer.

We recommend waiting for 4 weeks before having sex. Please remember that most of our gentlemen will be able to have a climax but there will be no ejaculate. Our ED nurse and nurse practitioner will be working with you with medications and medical devices to assist you further.

Most of our patients are able to return to work within 1-2 weeks, and nearly all activity can be resumed by 4 weeks. Men with jobs that require heavy lifting will need to be on light duties for 4-6 weeks.

In most cases the catheter will come out 4-6 days after surgery at your first post-operative appointment.

Dr. Patel will assess your recovery, remove your catheter, and will review the final pathology report with you at your first follow-up appointment which is typically 4-7 days after your surgery.

Everyone is very different. Some gentlemen can start having erections very soon after surgery while others can take 1-2 years; however, our team has consistently demonstrated superior outcomes with respect to the maintenance of sexual function. You will be encouraged to see our ED nurse who will explain to you our ED program and will be able to answer many of your questions related to your ED.

Traditional radical prostatectomies require either a large incision with unpleasant side effects (in open surgery), or feature limited vision and dexterity (in conventional laparoscopic prostate surgery). At AdventHealth, our mission is to provide the best opportunity for full recovery from prostate cancer. Experience shows that a robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy successfully addresses these shortcomings and offers patients improved benefits, including minimized risk of incontinence and impotency.

In addition to having some of the top surgeons in the field, AdventHealth was the first hospital in Central Florida to perform a da Vinci® robotic radical prostatectomy in 2004. The early adoption of this highly advanced laparoscopic prostate cancer treatment option demonstrates our commitment to providing world-class health care to our patients.