Recovery after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) surgery

Once the anaesthetic wears off, your urethra and penis may feel sore from the catheter the surgeon inserted after the TURP was completed.

The catheter can also make you feel you need to go to the toilet, but this should not last long. The catheter will remain in place for two or three days and will keep flushing out your bladder until your urine starts to run clear.

If there is a lot more blood than normal in your urine and it does not clear up after 24 hours, you may need a transfusion and further surgery to stop the bleeding.

Once the catheter is removed you can start to urinate normally. For the first day it may sting when you urinate, and you may feel a strong urge to urinate or go more frequently.

When can I go home?

You may have to stay in hospital for about two to three days (1) following your TURP, depending on how quickly you recover. The older you are the more likely you are to stay longer in hospital.

Recovery dos and don'ts:

  • Do drink around two litres of fluids a day to flush out your bladder and reduce the chance of infection.
  • Don't drink tea, coffee and fizzy drinks for a month or so after you go home, as they may irritate your bladder.
  • Don't drive for a week after the operation or take part in sports for at least a month.
  • Don't do any strenuous activities, such as heavy lifting, for six weeks.
  • Don't have sex until six weeks after the TURP.

It can take days or weeks to return to normal. You may also still see some blood in your urine for up to two weeks after your operation, but this will stop.

Infolinks:

Refs:

  1. Weston Health Area NHS Trust | Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)(pdf) p 5 | Accessed Sep 2009 | Last reviewed Jul 2009 | Next review Jul 2010

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