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Cryogenic surgery

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Posted 1/26/2012 5:18 PM (GMT 0)
Let's have some input from all who have had CRYOGENIC prostate surgery...side effects , recovery, etc. I had this surgery last June 14th., totally successful in eliminating the cancer but still having to fight a still losing battle with ED. Maybe I just haven't given it enough healing time yet. I'd sure like to hear how others who have had this surgery are progressing....thanks,guys!
Posted 1/26/2012 5:22 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting Post ICECAT. I know nothing about the Cryogenic surgery. I am assuming that it means that they froze it. Am I correct. You may want to tell us a bit about it.

Cajun jeff
Posted 1/26/2012 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
My next door neigbor to me, just had this done roughly a month a go. The entire process was done from start to finish, including a short recovery time, within one day. He is a guy around 55, with a history of prior cancers, not related to PC. His doctor thought he was too high risk for surgery due to previous scaring.

When he got home, his first weekend was rough, and he needed pain meds, and told me he had a lot of trouble sitting down. Distrupted his sleep too for a few days, and had a lot of issues with urgency. Plus, he did have to have a catheter in for one full week. He hated that part most of all.

By day 10, he started work again, he has a standing on his feet job, furniture sales, and they let him work part-time for the first week back.

Talked to him recently, by week 3, he was back to work full time, no need of pain meds, no urgency issues, just some bouts of fatituge that he said he didn't have before.

He is getting his PSA rechecked in another 2 months. He was a Gleason 6 case, but he never seem to know his PSA number.

I am interested to, in seeing how effective that method works out for him.

I hope this info helps. And good luck to you.

David in SC
Posted 1/26/2012 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, they freeze it down to 48 degrees below zero...they do it through about a dozen extremely thin hollow steel needles inserted in that tender area known as the "tween" and use an ultrasound in the anus to guide the needles into place to get the freezing gas placed at the right spots in the prostate..the prostate is frozen then thawed partially then frozen a second time.The initial diagnosing biopsy results were that 5 of the samples taken were cancerous although my PSA at that time was only 2.2. Current PSA is 0.002 so it seems that we got it all.I wore a catheter for two wkks, pads for 4 weeks, then totally continent.ED is my only side effect and , so far, nothing has helped that...maybe TRIMIX will be the "magic bullet"whenever I can get started on it..
Posted 1/26/2012 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
Prostate cyrosurgery of the entire prostate generally leads to permanent ED due largely to permanent nerve damage.  The ED rates for this procedure have historically been significantly higher than for surgery or radiation. Hopefully your doc told you this prior to the procedure.  Hopefully some of the workarounds like Trimix or implants can help.

Tudpock (Jim)

Posted 1/26/2012 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
I had cryosurgery / cryoablation January 2011.
Had pain, bleeding for 9 weeks in urine, urinary urgency, and ED. I expected ED and am not fighting it.
Still have some urgency and nocturia.
Posted 1/26/2012 8:22 PM (GMT 0)
tud,

ny neighbor was aware of the ED issue, but it didn't matter to him, as he already had serious ED from his previous
cancer treatments.

david
Posted 1/26/2012 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
Jim, my surgery nurse told me that this surgeon, who teaches the procedure, has had better success with nerve sparing by using the cryo procedure...better than robotic ,which he also does, or the various seeds and radiation. I sure hope she knows what she's talking about. The surgeon uses a "warming" needle to help protect those all-important nerves. Man, I sure hope it protected mine 'cause I really need 'em!
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