What are the complications after transurethral resection of the prostate?

Transurethral resection of the prostate is a relatively common way to treat prostate diseases. Transurethral resection of the prostate can effectively treat male prostate diseases. However, some physical complications may occur after transurethral resection of the prostate, which may easily lead to bleeding, difficulty urinating, and osteomyelitis of the pubic bone. More attention should be paid to care on a regular basis.

What are the complications after transurethral resection of the prostate?

(1) Bleeding. The main causes of bleeding within 24 hours after surgery are incomplete hemostasis of the wound at the prostatic fossa, incomplete separation of the prostatic fossa from the bladder, and improper placement of the balloon catheter.

(2) Bladder spasm.

(3) Epididymitis.

(4) Difficulty urinating.

(5) Urinary incontinence.

(6) Urinary fistula.

(7) Osteomyelitis of the pubic bone.

(8) Impotence.

(9) Venous thrombosis.

(10) Other complications, such as wound infection, rupture, bedsores, lung infection, heart failure, and postoperative water-electrolyte and acid-base imbalance.

There are some complications after prostate surgery. The first complication is called dilutional hyponatremia, which is the most common absorption complication during and after prostate surgery. It is mainly due to the fact that during the electroresection process, a large amount of lavage fluid is absorbed into the blood through the cut and opened veins in a short period of time, resulting in the disorder of the internal environment of blood volume, electrolytes, and plasma osmotic pressure, which manifests as nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, hypertension, and even difficulty breathing and coma.

The second complication is bleeding. The prostate capsule and the prostate itself have rich blood supply, so bleeding is easy to occur after surgery.

The third complication is duct blockage, which is mainly caused by incomplete removal and flushing of prostate tissue fragments, which can block the urinary catheter. If the postoperative flushing and drainage tube are not drained smoothly, blood clots will form and block the urinary catheter.

Another complication is bladder spasm, which often occurs within three days after surgery and is most serious within 24 hours. In addition, patients who have been bedridden for a long time should be restrained after surgery. Long-term bedriddenness can cause pneumonia, so patients should be placed in a semi-recumbent position.

In addition, most patients who undergo transurethral resection of the prostate are middle-aged or elderly male patients. They often have a history of smoking, high blood pressure, and high blood lipids before the operation, which can easily lead to thrombosis of the lower limb veins or pulmonary embolism, and urinary incontinence. If the catheter is left in place for too long after the operation, urinary tract infection may occur, which can easily lead to urethral stenosis.