Who will remove cathether? - Cancer: Prostate Message Board

Raku2day · 08-12-2005, 10:23 AM

I feel totally upset right now! We are going to Johns Hopkins for prostate surgery and had planned to come home after 6-7 days there. We thought that our urologists or family physician would help with the cathether removal and staples when the required time of 10 days is up. Now after talking with both we find that neither is anxious to do these proceedures. We have been with the same urologists for several yrs. and have had biopsies, etc. , with him.

We realize that neither would want to take care of complication from the surgery, god forbid, but this seems especially selfish to say that "if you go somewhere else for the surgery, don't come to me in need".

Now, unless the situation changes we will have to stay in Baltimore for 13 days and if complications did happen would have to fly back up for assistance. Is this the usual treatment that you guys have experienced or is this unusual?

Who removed your cathether if you had surgery with someone other than your urologists? I think that it is doubtful that we can find a new urologist in our area at this point in time who would want to do these proceedures while not having seen my husband before. We realize the problem with insurance, etc. but are very willing to pay up front for this.

Thanks for your replies. I know that it will all work out somehow but we should not be having this stress added to what we already have with the upcoming surgery.

geifer · 08-12-2005, 05:26 PM

My husband had his surgery in March . He left the cath in for four weeks just to be on the safe side to make sure everything healed ok. ( the cath didn't bother him at all). When your husband has his surgery doesn't he have followup appointments? My husbands doctor saw him every two weeks for the first month he had alot of drainage from the drainage tube and that went on for weeks. Everything is fine now. I don't know want type of surgery your husband is having. Maybe the doctors staff could help you with finding someone else to remove the cath. Best of luck to you both and Take care and stay safe geifer

lookinfwd · 08-15-2005, 07:45 AM

My local urologist, who did my biopsy and would have liked to do my RRP, told me he was willing to do followup care after my surgery at Hopkins. I should also note that my staples were removed at Hopkins on the day I was released. When it came time to remove my catheter, one week later, I went to my local urologist's office and it was removed by his nurse. It is not a difficult or complicated procedure and it doesn't seem like you should have to spend extra time away from home or have a lot of additional worry over it. I wonder if your local GP would be willing to remove it for you? The home health care nurse sounds like a good idea, also. If your Dr. at Hopkins writes an order for a home health visit, your insurance may cover it and you will have the peace of mind that a knowledgable person has examined your incision along with getting the catheter out. I hope you are able to find a local solution, in any case. Best of luck, and let us know if you continue to have trouble dealing with followup issues.