Transurethral Resection of the Prostate Side Effects and Warnings

Possible Complications

TUR syndrome (occurs in about 2% of patients, usually within the first 24 hours) might occur. Symptoms may include:

• Increase or decrease in blood pressure

• Abnormal heart rhythm

• Increased breathing rate

• Nausea or vomiting

• Blurred vision

• Confusion

• Agitation

Other complications may include:

• Urinary tract infection (most common)
• Bleeding, which may require blood transfusion (second most common)
• Incontinence (inability to control urine)
• Retrograde ejaculation—sperm goes into the bladder rather than out the end of the penis (not dangerous)

• If you plan on having children in the future, talk to your doctor about this surgical side effect before surgery.
• Reaction to anesthesia

Some factors that may increase the risk of complications include:

• Obesity
• Smoking or alcohol abuse
• Use of some prescription and nonprescription drugs
• Malnutrition
• Recent or chronic illness
• Diabetes

Call Your Doctor

After you leave the hospital, call your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Difficulty or inability to urinate
• Pain, burning, urgency or frequency of urination, or persistent bleeding in the urine—This may be normal during the first few days. If the symptoms persist or are getting worse, contact your doctor.
• Signs of infection, including fever and chills
• Pain that you cannot control with the medicines you have been given
• Nausea and/or vomiting that you cannot control with the medicines you were given after surgery, or which persist for more than two days after discharge from the hospital
• Impotence for longer than three months after surgery

In case of an emergency, call 911.