TURP

Seeing those initials on a patient’s chart always caused some consternation for nurses and other medical personnel. T.U.R.P. are the initials for a rather barbaric procedure for men who suffered from an enlarged prostate gland. The procedure involved using a rasplike instrument to open up the urethra and allow the man to void properly again. Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is a surgery used to treat urinary problems that are caused by an enlarged prostate. The rasp chewed away the flesh of the prostate gland. An instrument called a resectoscope is inserted through the tip of the penis and into the tube that carries urine from the bladder (urethra). It was always a bloody affair and the client who’d had the procedure done came to the floor with huge bags of irrigating solution that flushed the bladder and removed the old blood and the forming clots. It was a balancing game. If the flow was too much it was necessary to change the 3,000 cc bags of irrigating solution too often. If it was too slow, it allowed clots to form and necessitated using a large 50 cc syringe to inject the fluid through the Foley catheter to dislodge the clot and get the urine flowing again.

RESUM is a procedure invented to eliminate the harsh rasping of the prostate gland. It works be using steam to expand the urethra and create a larger channel for the urine to pass through. I tried that and it didn’t seem to work. After the procedure, I developed diarrhea and a urinary tract infection. There was no real alleviation of my urinary retention.

My open heart bypass surgery intervened and wearing a Foley catheter seemed that it would be a permanent attachment; hopefully not. Monday I had a green light laser procedure done. The title is basically self explanatory. Laser light replaces the TURP rasping of the prostate. I still have the Foley catheter in place, but the end is in sight. All day Monday after the procedure, I felt tired and weary. Tuesday I still felt worn and lost my desire for food. Well, perhaps not. I didn’t feel like cooking and nibbled my way through the day.

Wednesday and feeling much better. I’m less weary. The effects of the anesthesia are wearing off.