About the hospital stay

Prior to admission
Remember to take to the hospital any medication your GP has prescribed. You may still need to go on taking your usual tablets or medicines. The hospital will tell you what you should bring for your stay. If you arrange to be accompanied by family or friends when you come to the hospital, they will know where to come to collect you when it is time to leave. For your convenience, you may be asked to attend the hospital’s pre-admission clinic. Here the tests described in the next section are carried out a few days before your admission.

What happens when I arrive at hospital?
If you did not attend a pre-admission clinic, investigations will be performed on the day of your admission. There are a number of forms to be completed to register you and assess your medical condition. Tell the staff about your medication and any previous illnesses or operations. You will be examined by a doctor to make sure you are fit for surgery. Further tests to be carried out may include:

• A urine sample taken in mid-stream to check you have no infection;

• Your blood pressure and pulse taken to assess your heart function

• An ECG (heart tracing) may be taken;

• In certain cases a chest X-ray may be taken to assess your lungs;

• Your temperature will be taken in order to monitor you for any infection;

• Blood tests will reveal if there is any sign of liver or kidney disease.

The surgeon may also take precautions to prevent you developing a thrombosis in your legs at the time of the operation. You may be asked to put on elastic stockings and be given injections of Heparin.

If you find you cannot sleep in the strange surroundings of a hospital ward on your first night don’t hesitate to ask for a sleeping tablet.

The consent form
Your surgeon will discuss with you the issues addressed in this leaflet. It is on the basis of such a discussion that you make your decision to go ahead with the operation. The consent form gives the hospital a formal indication that you are agreeing to undergo the treatment being offered, as stated on the form. It is valuable to you as it offers a written check on what you are agreeing to be signing. Once signed, it is assumed that you have received and understood details of the operation to your satisfaction. Be sure this is so.

NOTE: it may be that your prostate needs to be looked at using a special telescope (cystoscopy). This is usually undertaken before any decision is made about an operation. However, if agreed with the patient, a prostatectomy may be carried out at this time, if this is found to be necessary.

Be clear that you are consenting to an investigation only if you are unsure about a prostatectomy.

What are the staff involved in my care?

Surgeon
A surgeon should come and see you and discuss the steps taken to prepare you for the operation. A junior doctor or special nurse will visit you around this time to obtain your signature of consent. Now is the time to ask for an explanation of anything which is still not clear to you.

Physiotherapist
Although rarely involved with those patients having the TURP operation, a physiotherapist may be involved to show certain patients how to do deep breathing exercises to help keep the chest clear. He or she will also show them how to move about after the operation.

Anaesthetist(s)
Anaesthetists are doctors with specialist training in anaesthetics. Your anaesthetist will visit and examine you prior to your operation, and may ask about:

1. Prior experience of anaesthesia in hospital and medical history
It is important to know if you have had any previous operations, and if there were any problems resulting from them. Have any family members experienced trouble with anaesthetics?

2. Medicines
Make a record of any prescribed or over-the-counter medicines you are taking.

3. Dental problems
During the operation it may be necessary to put a tube in your mouth to help to breathe more easily. The anaesthetist will want to know if you have any caps, crown, bridges or loose teeth. False teeth will be left with the ward staff for safe keeping.

4. Allergies
Let the anaesthetist know of any allergies which affect you or run in your family. These may be reactions to medicines or food etc., and may have resulted in skin rashes or sickness. Report any allergy to elastoplast, iodine, or to antibiotics such as penicillin.

5. Back problems
Let your carers know if you suffer from any back problems which could be affected if an epidural or spinal anaesthetic is chosen for you.

6. Chest problems and smoking
The anaesthetist needs to know if and how much you smoke. Smokers are much more likely to get chest infections. Smoke also makes the lungs sensitive to the anaesthetic which can cause problems for the anaesthetist. Smokers should stop smoking at least a week prior to admission and remember that smoking is now prohibited in the hospital.