or radical surgery???

When I saw the surgeon about the surgery option he explained how accessing the lower abdomen through 5 or 6 relatively small incisions the surgeon controls robotic arms to excise and remove the prostate gland. 
As mentioned before this is a busy part of the body with all sorts mixed up. In order to remove the prostate has to be separated from bundles of nerves and blood vessels. The "pipe" for urine passess through the gland so has to be cut and later reconnnected. Other pipe work related ejaculation also has to be severed. On top of that the surgery may have to the bladder out of the way and will disrupt the pelvic floor.
If this wasn't enough the surgery can take 3-4 hours during which I would be inclined with my head down so gravity will pull organs 'up' the body cavity putting pressure on heart and lungs.
Finally I would catheterised for at least a number of weeks while the body tried to recover "normal service".
The advantage is that the prostate is gone forever and as long as it hasn't spread it cannot recur. The trouble is that it would only take a little to have escaped to eventually spread, and that small amount is virtually undeteectable. Only when it grows can the doctors spot it. In the case of Kenny Logan (which I will return to in a later post) his urologist said that it would be 5 years before they wouls be sure he was clear!
Once again there is a long list of possible/probable short and long term side-effects. Many of these are similar to radiotherapy, but also one specific to surgery.

So I was left with a decision - which treatment to opt for?

In my next post I will cover how I made the decision I felt was right for me.

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