Transurethral resection of the prostate

Alternative Names: TURP; Prostate resection - transurethral

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is surgery to remove all or part of the prostate gland, to treat an enlarged prostate.

See also:

• Benign prostatic hypertrophy
• Prostate resection - minimally invasive
• Simple prostatectomy

Description of Procedure

The surgery takes about 1 hour.

You will be given medicine before surgery so you don't feel pain. You may get one of the following:

• General anesthesia: You are asleep and pain-free
• Spinal anesthesia: You are awake, but relaxed and pain-free

The surgeon will insert a scope through the tube that carries urine from your bladder out of the penis. This tube is called the urethra. A special cutting tool is placed through the scope. It is used to remove part of your prostate gland using electricity.

Risks of Transurethral resection of the prostate

Risks for any surgery are:

• Blood clots in the legs that may travel to the lungs
• Breathing problems
• Infection, including in the surgical wound, lungs (pneumonia), or bladder or kidney
• Blood loss
• Heart attack or stroke during surgery
• Reactions to medications

Additional risks are:

• Problems with urine control (incontinence)
• Loss of sperm fertility (infertility)
• Erection problems (impotence)
• Passing the semen into the bladder instead of out through the urethra (retrograde ejaculation)
• Urethral stricture (tightening of the urinary outlet from scar tissue)
• Transurethral resection (TUR) syndrome (water buildup during surgery)
• Damage to internal organs and structures

Male reproductive anatomy	Prostate gland	Prostatectomy - series	TURP - series

Review Date: 9/19/2011
Reviewed By: Louis S. Liou, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Urology, Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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