Removing the entire prostate gland may damage the nerves that allow men to get erections and nearly all men that have the surgery will experience some degree of impotence (erectile dysfunction). Your ability to have an erection after surgery depends on your age, your ability to get an erection before the operation, and whether the nerves were cut.
Otis W. Brawley, M.D., chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, says some men may only be impotent 1 to 2 months and others may go longer than a year without an erection.
The most common treatment is oral drugs like Viagra or Cialis. In cases where oral medications aren’t effective, a penile implant or vacuum device may be considered.
Coping With Prostate Surgery Side Effects was originally published on blackdoctor.org
