Richard Matern, a urologic surgeon, discusses his role in treating diseases of the genitourinary tract. He outlines the various areas he focuses on, including surgeries related to cancer, reconstruction, and kidney stones. Richard also shares his educational background, mentioning his upbringing in Bountiful, UT, college at Weber State University, and medical training at Tulane University, before returning to work at Intermountain.
Dr. Matern provides guidance on recovery and precautions following a vasectomy. He suggests a couple of days of rest, with gradual return to normal activities over the course of a week. Dr. Matern also emphasizes the need for continued contraception until a semen test confirms sterility after around 20 ejaculations.
Dr. Matern explains the post-operative care process following a robotic prostatectomy. He includes details about the surgical incisions, the use of a catheter, and the recovery process, such as walking and dietary considerations. Dr. Matern also outlines the typical timeline for discharge from the hospital, which can occur the same day if the patient recovers well or the next morning after an overnight stay.
Dr. Matern outlines the potential risks associated with prostate surgery, including common issues like pain, bleeding, infection, and scarring, as well as more severe risks such as damage to abdominal organs, blood vessels, or nerves. There is also a risk of incomplete cancer removal or recurrence. Additional complications may include heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, and in rare cases, death. However, these serious complications are rare, occurring in only 1 to 2% of cases, and most patients can return to their normal activities within a day.
Dr. Matern discusses two significant side effects of prostate cancer treatment: erectile function and urinary incontinence. It explains that urinary incontinence is expected post-surgery but typically improves over the first year. Most patients regain normal urinary control within a year, with severe incontinence being rare. If issues persist beyond a year, options like an artificial urinary sling or male sphincter are available. Dr. Matern explains the timeline of recover and advises starting Kegel exercises before surgery and resuming them after catheter removal to enhance urinary control.
Dr. Matern provides post-surgery recovery instructions, advising patients to resume their normal activities as much as possible, with the exception of avoiding lifting items over 10 lbs and strenuous physical activity for four weeks. Patients are encouraged to walk, eat, drink, and shower the day after surgery to promote a quicker recovery.
What is commonly referred to as "robotic surgery" is actually robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery. In this procedure, a surgeon performs the surgery with the help of robotic instruments, allowing for complex surgeries to be conducted through small incisions. This minimally invasive approach offers advantages such as less pain, reduced scarring, decreased necessity for narcotics, and quicker hospital discharge compared to traditional open surgery.