prostatectomy
Meaning of prostatectomy: Prostatectomy ranges from removing a small portion of prostate tissue to complete gland removal, most often to treat cancer or severe enlargement.
Definition of prostatectomy
Prostatectomy is a surgical procedure that removes all or part of the prostate gland, a small gland located below the bladder in males that contributes fluid to semen. How much of the gland is removed depends on the reason for surgery: a partial procedure may relieve benign prostate enlargement that is obstructing urine flow, while removal of the entire gland is generally performed for cancer confined to the prostate.
Radical prostatectomy, the complete removal of the prostate along with some surrounding tissue and sometimes nearby lymph nodes, is the more extensive version of the procedure and is usually reserved for cancer that has not spread beyond the gland. It can be performed through an open incision, laparoscopically, or with robotic assistance.
Because the prostate surrounds part of the urethra and lies near nerves involved in urinary and sexual function, prostatectomy carries a recognized risk of affecting continence and erectile function, a consideration weighed against the benefit of removing cancerous or obstructing tissue.
Used in a sentence
The patient underwent a radical prostatectomy after biopsy confirmed prostate cancer confined to the gland.
Good to know
Radical prostatectomy refers specifically to complete removal of the gland for cancer, distinguishing it from a partial procedure performed for benign prostate enlargement.
Word origin
Where “prostatectomy” comes from
Formed from Greek prostates, meaning one standing before, describing its position in front of the bladder, and the suffix -ectomy, from ektome, meaning a cutting out.