Prostatectomy includes a number of surgical procedures to remove part or all of the prostate gland. The prostate gland is situated in the lower abdomen of men, below the urinary bladder. It surrounds the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder to the penis.
Radical prostatectomy is surgery to remove the entire prostate gland and surrounding lymph nodes. This surgery is a treatment for men with localized prostate cancer. A surgeon can perform a radical prostatectomy by using different techniques such as:
- Robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy. The surgeon makes several small incisions in your lower abdomen to remove the prostate. He or she sits at a console, using instruments attached to a mechanical device (robot). Using the robotic device allows a more precise response to movement of the surgeon’s hands.
- Open radical prostatectomy. The surgeon makes an incision in your lower abdomen to remove the prostate (retropubic surgery). Rarely, this incision is made between your anus and scrotum (perineal surgery).
- Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. The surgeon makes several small incisions in your lower abdomen and inserts special tools to remove the prostate.