Wearing a catheter after RP

User

Posted 26 Oct 2022 at 04:43

Never had an operation in my whole life, am 69,so have been lucky so far. Am very nervous about having the Robotic RP advised by doc.

If I go ahead what does havibg and using a catheter involve. Thanks in advance for any help and info.

User

Posted 26 Oct 2022 at 07:38

Tony, conventional RARP will involve having a catheter in the penis, one variation of RARP sometimes used a suprapubic catheter a few inches below the belly button. I have had a catheter on numerous occasions and find them easy to cope with. After surgery they mean you don't need to get up to urinate. They are usually in for anything between 7 and 14 days. Removal is usually pain free.

There are a couple of antiseptic, anesthetic and lubrication gels that help with any soreness in the eye of the penis. They are called instilagel and hydrocaine you may get them from the hospital or buy them from a pharmacy for about £2-3. Only Boots seem to require a prescription. Keeping the catheter stable will reduce the rubbing. You get straps to keep the catheter from moving around and snug but not tight underwear will keep it from moving.

At night I attach the night bag to the leg bag. I got an extra thigh/GStrap from the hospital at night I attach the night bag tube to my ankle and it reduces the chance of pulling on the joint. The night bag should be supported from the top but can be hung in a bowl of bucket.

The extra g strap helps when showering, I drain the leg bag and make sure the catheter is securely attached to the thigh. I then remove the straps from the leg bag and shower. I put the spare thigh strap on the other leg and transfer the catheter to other leg and refit the bags straps. The wet strap is then removed and left to dry for the next shower

Hope all goes well.

Thanks Chris

Edited by member 26 Oct 2022 at 07:40 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 26 Oct 2022 at 08:15

Thanks very much for replies, great to get helpful insights🤗

So how is the eye of the penis involved, how is the catheter inserted, attached?

Edited by member 26 Oct 2022 at 08:16 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 26 Oct 2022 at 09:04

Had a catheter for 10 days. It's a PITA but for that first week after the op your not up to doing much so it does not exactly get in the way of normal activity. You soon get into the swing of managing it. On discharge from the hospital the Nurses will tell you what you need to do and provide you with enough supplies which consists of a day bag and night bag and some leg straps. They recommend that the night bag goes in a bucket at the side of your bed.

Like yourself I had never been in hospital before let alone had a operation. You will be well looked after. The Nurses lead you through what you need to do. The surgical team will talk to you just before the operation. The GA was just odd, no sooner had I walked into Theatre with one of Theatre nurses I was surrounded by four Nurses and anethatist and was put under in less than 60 seconds. They were running a bit late! Think I was expecting a count down or something. Next thing I knew I was awake in the recovery room 4 hours later insisting I needed to get up and go to work - I clearly need to get my priorities right....

Show Most Thanked Posts

User

Posted 26 Oct 2022 at 07:38

Hope all goes well.

Thanks Chris

Edited by member 26 Oct 2022 at 07:40 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 26 Oct 2022 at 07:53

Having a catheter for a week or two is nothing to be concerned about. As Chris has described it can be a bit fiddly, and I was glad to be rid of mine, but two weeks will be gone in no time.

Dave

User

Posted 26 Oct 2022 at 08:15

Thanks very much for replies, great to get helpful insights🤗

So how is the eye of the penis involved, how is the catheter inserted, attached?

Edited by member 26 Oct 2022 at 08:16 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 26 Oct 2022 at 08:36

Hi Tony, as Chris has said the catheter will be inserted at the end of surgery so you won’t know and it’s to let the neck of the bladder heal. 10-14 days after surgery it is removed usually back at the hospital or district nurse and my husband said removal was painless. Get some gel from the hospital or district nurse which will help with the eye of the penis (you may not need it). You will soon adapt and get into the swing. It’s just a bit cumbersome. He stood his bag in a bucket at night. Best of luck with the surgery 👍

User

Posted 26 Oct 2022 at 08:56

Has another Chris posted then deleted their post?

Thanks Chris

User

Posted 26 Oct 2022 at 09:04

User

Posted 26 Oct 2022 at 10:31

Tony, you could go onto "you tube" and search for inserting a catheter, you will not know anything about it being inserted as you will be asleep. The catheter has a balloon at the end which is inflated with fluid. Once the balloon is filled it should/will stop the the catheter from coming out. There is a balloon port at the other end of the catheter, on removal day the nurse will attach a syringe to the port and draw the fluid out, the catheter should/ will slide out.

The elasticated GStrap goes around the thigh and has a velcro fastener to go in the Y of the catheter and should reduce any rubbing in the eye of the penis. Some hospitals are now using the statlock adhesive device, a lot better than the straps.

I have watched a few RARP videos and the catheter is used during the operation to support the urethra and bladder neck when being stitched back together. It it also used to fill the bladder with fluid to check the new joint/anastomosis is water tight. You may get a small amount of blood and urine coming past the catheter and out of the end of the penis it is known as bypassing,a small pad will soak up any leaking, Bypassing is common when passing a motion.

Thanks Chris

User

Posted 26 Oct 2022 at 13:32

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Thanks very much for replies, great to get helpful insights🤗

So how is the eye of the penis involved, how is the catheter inserted, attached?

While you are unconscious, they will feed a thin rubber tube into the eye of your penis and up into your bladder. The other end of the tube has a plastic bag on it and the urine dribbles down the tube into the bag. You then empty the bag down the toilet when it starts to get full

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 27 Oct 2022 at 06:05

Thanks so much for all the replies, gives me more confidence about taking the op, and the information is very useful.

User

Posted 07 Nov 2022 at 23:10

Another positive report. Like the OP I had no idea what to expect and I did think it would be uncomfortable and painful. In fact as others have said it’s really no big deal. Just a bit of faffing around. You will want to take some baggy trousers or joggers to wear home from hosp and for around the house so there is room for the bag on your leg. Having it removed was not painful either.

As an FYI mine was out after 7 days and whilst initially everything was fine, the next day, after 9hrs of no peeing, I had to have the catheter redone. Not sure if it was the relief of being able to empty my bladder, but this was also not a painful experience. It was taken out 10 days later and whilst urge incontinence is proving to be v difficult to manage I am to all intents and purposes continent again, 5 weeks after surgery.

Notification

Join the online community now.