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How soon after RARP or RP should the catheter be removed? Is 5 and a half days too early?

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Posted 2/25/2012 11:30 PM (GMT 0)
My husband (aged 46 with 9 out of 12 biopsies showing aggresive cancer and PSA 6.1 - doubled from 3.2) had RARP 5 weeks ago. Tricky op.

His catheter was taken out after 5 and a half days which I think is too soon.I believe that this was done because his surgeon was going on a 2-week holiday in 2 days time and wanted any complications to be dealt with before he went!

No cystogram or bladder function test performed before catheter was removed. But they kept hjm in and monitored him for about 6 hours to ensure all was working OK with the waterworks (and they were). He was sent home peeing fine.

Then 3 hours later, it sprung a leak internally into the abdomen, causing agony like I have never seen before.

Now 4 weeks on and still not healed.

Is 5 and a half days too early to take out a catheter or is it standard time? I have read a lot about a 7 to 14 days catheterisation period and this sounds like convenience for my surgeon rather than the right treatment for my husband!

Any pearls of wisdom?

And yes I know there is nothing I can do about it either way ... but I would really like to know whether I am being unnecessarily sceptical of my surgeon's motives!
Posted 2/26/2012 12:39 AM (GMT 0)
My husband cath was removed at 6 days. We ended up going in to see the Dr because Michael found a hole in the tubing. So he called the Dr office and they said to come right in. When we got to the office they did some testing and realized that the cath balloon hadn't even been inflated and it was a miracle that it had even stayed in as long as it had. They looked to see if he was healed, and then they decided to remove it. I think you will find that the length of time with the cath varies from patient to patient and Dr to Dr.

I am sorry your husband had such a difficult time, hope it gets better.
Susan
Posted 2/26/2012 1:34 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for this. Your husband was very young!

I know the time length varies, but I am concerned that the doctor removed it too soon because he wanted to go on holiday!

Sounds like your husband's was removed early too because it wasn't put in right in he first place!

I am now going to Google Androgel and Trimix - guess that will be the next step once we address the incontinence!
Posted 2/26/2012 5:19 AM (GMT 0)
I was 50 yrs old at time of operation, cath removed after 7 days.

All went well.

Kev
Posted 2/26/2012 6:56 AM (GMT 0)
My husband's was removed on day 13.  Each case is different.  Did the doctor suggest doing Kegels or walking?  Good luck with the recovery process.  There are a lot of personal stories here on Androgel and Trimix  which may help you.

Best wishes,

Aimzee

Posted 2/26/2012 12:46 PM (GMT 0)
My Uro won't do less than 2 weeks, he likes to give it a good chance to heal. He said that most guys are OK after a week but a certain percentage (I forget how much) will have trouble and need to have it reinserted. He's very conservative in all aspects of healing.
Posted 2/26/2012 2:41 PM (GMT 0)
I had open surgery and did not get the rubber snake pulled till day 10. The office did a cystogram first then the big OK was given to get ride of that thing.

Cajun Jeff
Posted 2/26/2012 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
I had mine out on day 7, but the day after I went home I had an emergency and was back to the surgeon with my catheter blocked with massive blood clots because the hospital had not flushed them out before I was discharged per my doctors orders. I have heard in this forum of guys with the snake exhumed in less than 7 days but 7 is considered the bare minimum by most URO's. 7 days is normal so the urethra has enough time to heal where it was attached back to the bladder. Even if your URO was going on vacation there should have been another URO on call unless you live in some remote area.

Terry TWG

Posted 2/26/2012 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
59 years old and my cath was removed on day 6
Posted 2/26/2012 4:50 PM (GMT 0)
Mine came out at 7 days - done by a senior nurse in the practice. My uro was away at a seminar.
Posted 2/26/2012 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
I certainly don't know what is needed time wise and what is too soon or not soon enought. Mine was in the "usual" two weeks or so, but a good friend went to the famous Dr. Nami Menon at Henry Ford, detroit, and Dr Mani takes his patients penile cathers out in something like 3-5 days. He also puts in a subrapubic catheter so that you have two as you while you are in recovery. I think the penile catheter comes out first, in maybe two days, then I think by turning the suprapubic off and on over a period of a couple of days, to test the urinary function, then the last catheter is removed. The goal is to be comfortable and come home without a catheter. At least this is sorta the way it was expained to me. So, that sorta throws a curve ball at what is long enought to have a catheter, it is said that Dr. Mani has done more RRP than anybody, true or no, he has done a bunch.
As for your husbands case, the first reaction is obviously 5 days wasn't enought for whatwever reason, but then we don't know that for sure, could have been some surgical mistake, stitch pulled or something like that. Anyway, looks like he is being looked after now that surgeon is back in town. I hope this passes soon without any lasting ill effect.
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