Swelling and bruising in the scrotum and penis after robotic prostate removal.

Hello,

My husband's scrotum situation was exactly like yours...very uncomfortable for several days.  He rolled up a wash cloth to support them as he slept.  They do start returning to normal size within a few days.

The third day after my laparoscopic surgery a very large, very dark hematoma (bruise) appeared on my left side, starting at the hip and going up. It measured 12" high by 16" wide. Because my surgeon had cut wide because of my situation, he planned on leaving the J drain in for 3 days, but after seeing the hematoma he decided to leave it for another week. Other than a bit of tenderness and swelling, the hematoma proved to be harmless and was gone within 3 weeks.

I also had serious bruising of the scrotum and penis, and though there was swelling it wasn't severe. I did have serious swelling down there once from a different surgery. Try the size of two grapefruit. It was very uncomfortable, and kept me home in very loose shorts for quite awhile. The doctor wasn't concerned, just said to take it easy until the swelling went down.

Hope this helps.

Shawn

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Age 54 - 6'2" 200lbs
Overall Heath Condition - Good

PSA monitored every 3-6 months starting 04/01/04
Important readings and actions:
10/18/04 - PSA 03.48
05/24/06 - PSA 04.92 - 08 sample biopsy: negative
05/10/07 - PSA 16.84 - 14 sample biopsy: negative
09/02/08 - PSA 26.54 - 16 sample biopsy: positive - GS 4+3=7 - Stage T2b
11/11/08 - PSA 37.95
11/17/08 - PSA 40.98 - (doubling time less than 8 weeks)
11/21/08 - non-nerve sparing Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy

Pathology GS 4+5=9 - Stage T3b N0 MX - bilateral lobes - perineural and seminal vesicle invasion - surgical margins: negative - largest tumor 2.1 CM

Catheter in for four weeks - only minor stress incontinence after 6 weeks

01/19/09 - 1st post-op PSA: less then 0.1
01/30/09 - started hormone therapy

My scrotum was huge a couple of days after surgery and I was not told that would happen.
It was a huge shock to see it along with the penis glans only showing.
It took about a week for the swelling to go down.

A big welcome to you, MrLag, glad you found us. I did not have any swelling in that area after my surgery, as long as your dr/surgeon thinks its ok and "normal", then I guess you can relax, hopefully the swelling will go down soon and you can move along with your recovery. I wish the very best for you.

David in SC

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Age 56, 56 at DX, PSA 7/7 5.8, 7/8 12.3,9/8 14.5

I had a large bruise on the right side of my abdomen and a slightly swollen scrotum that was sensitive to the touch after my robotic surgery. I called my doctor and he said it was OK. It was fine after few days.

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Age: 67
Retired in 2001 and living in Austin TX.
PSA 3.5 free PSA 11%
Dx 12/30/08
2 cores out of 12 were positive Gleason (4+4) and (4+5)
Negative CT scan and bone scan done on 1/16
Robotic surgery performed on Feb 9th
Surgeon: Dr. Randy Fagin, Austin TX.
Post op Pathology report:
Prostate weighed 57 grams
size:5.2 x 5.0 x 4.9 cm
10-20% involved
Bilateral
Gleason 4+4
both nerve bundles removed,
pT3a Nx Mx
Negative margins
Lymph nodes: not dissected
seminal vesicles clean

My scrotum was just like that. It looked like a swollen dark blue softball. It did go down eventually.

Now hold it just a minute guys ...
Remember the unwritten rule of sizes:

Inanimate objects like hailstones are measured in golf, tennis, baseball (or softball) sizes.

Squishy stuff that comes from the body are measured in pea, cherry, walnut, plum, apple, and grapefruit (and occasional MELON!!) sizes.

Sometimes of course there are these ladies who have football size calcified tumors -- but that is the only exception i know of.

OK .. carry on with the size comparisons! ...

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Age 58, 192lbs, 6'4", 57 at DX, PSA Aug2008 7 4 ... June2007 4.7 (BPH + LUTS)
Biopsy Nov2008 1 of 12 cores 5%, Gleason 3+3 - Sona showed 140+ cc (110 grams post op) prostate size.
open RP surgery 02/03/09, Nerve sparing both sides, 1 day in hospital, Day 4 first BM,
Pathology Report - All margins clear - No Invasive spread - no change in Gleason score.
2/18/09 Cath out, passed a STONE within hours. To be analyzed by doc.
Using pump (encore) daily since catheter out -- Viagra and Levitra samples now and then (no effect).
03/06/09 Started Levitra 20mg rehabbing -> 3/23 no real effect yet.
03/20/09 First post-PSA blood drawn -> 04/01 will be meeting w/PA.

mrlag49-

yep, big as baseballs and sore as h---.  After consoling me for my anguish, my wife had a good laugh and said that at least she would get something out of this.  I also had alot of bruising on my right side.  I thought it was not uncommon but had never heard anyone express that here so I thought I was one of the few.

Hope you are healing well.

Tim

 

 

Had surgery on Friday, March 16, 2012, went home on the 18th. Feeling pretty good, pain is controlled but saw this sudden swelling today of penis and scrotum, scared me so I called my surgeon. He said if I didn't have any other swelling of ankles or feeling faint to elevate the scrotum and drink coffee or beer to help as a diaretic. I feel fine and getting to drink that beer makes me feel real good. I will be going in to a cystogram tomorrow and having this cathether removed on Monday, praise the Lord.

I had massive swelling as well, about 4 days out from surgery - was carrying around two texas ruby reds. If it weren't for the catheter, Willie would have drawn up and vanished completely. Lasted about 3 days.

I agree with the other posters, most of the swelling you described down below seems to be a common malady after prostate surgery. I, myself, had open surgery, and really didn't have any swelling or discoloration.

The large bruise, don't know what to think about it, other than its perhaps just another side effect of the surgery. Even when done roboticly, your body still has been through a major and traumatic surgery.

Hopefully, both issues will resolve in due time.

The mention of your urine being clear this soon is a good sign. Don't be surprised, even in the days ahead, that you don't pass surgical debris, small clots, small amounts of blood, etc. That would be in the range of normal too.

Good luck as you continue to recover, and please keep us up to date.

David in SC

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Age: 59, 56 dx, PSA: 7/07 5.8, 10/08 16.3
3rd Biopsy: 9/08 7 of 7 Positive, 40-90%, Gleason 4+3
open RP: 11/08, original catheters 63 days
Path Rpt: Gleason 3+4, pT2c, 42g, 20% cancer, 1 pos margin
Incont & ED: None
Post Surgery PSA: 2/09 .05,5/09 .1, 6/09 .11. 8/09 .16
Post SRT PSA: 1/10 .12, 4/8 .04, 8/6 .06, 2/11 1.24, 4/11 3.81, 6/11 5.8, 12/11 14.0
Other: Spent total of 1 ½ years on 21 catheters, had Ileal Conduit Surgery 9/10
Member of Prostate Cancer & Chronic Pain HW Communities

Yea, I was thinking this old boy was about to disappear and take the cathether with it. Hopefully it will be better in the morning, and oh yea I love the DaVinci surgery, there's no way I could have handled the laproscopic procedure this easily.

I was warned about this but did not have it.

Personal theory (not in any way factually substantiated) is that part of the reason I didn't have it is that I already had it, the only other time I visited a urologic surgeon. I chuckled quite a bit when the guy taking my prostate out needed me to sign a form indicating that he'd be sterilizing me - already had that snipped years ago. And when I did, things got all black and blue and swollen - so that's the source of my anecdotal theory about this.

The effect nobody told me about which my docotor was also surprised to hear (I may be a bit more frank than the average patient? or it's not common?) was that things were hanging lower - unfortunately the reason I knew that for sure is that they were striking toilet-water, and that had never happened before. Thankfully that has not (at least to that extent) been a permanent condition. But you can sing that song where ears were the "polite replacement for kids" and woggle them to and fro (never got to throwing them over my shoulder - just as happy not to.)

Drink a lot while you have the rubber snake - anything you flush out the catheter, you won't have to flush out without it.

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3/9 psa 2.? ••• 3/11 PSA 4.08 ••• 6/11 PSA 3.8? but Free 8%
8/11 biopsy 1 of 12 G6 (5% or 20% - depending on pathologist)
Age 47 - after much research, RALRP/w bilateral nerve sparing 10/11
Post-Path: G6 neg margins, multiple/bilateral, confined to prostate, no perineural invasion, 5%, largest 9mm
12/11 - PSA <0.1

hehe....my hubby had the same thing, I took photo's as evidence! i thought it was amusing, he on the other hand was not as impressed!!

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Hubby's Numbers!
Raised PSA 8.1 September 2011
Biopsy October 5th 3 cores positive raning from 5% to 30%
Diagnosed October 7th 2011
Radical Perineal Prostotectomy November 23rd 2011 (nurves spared)
Post Surgery PSA 0.11 so commencing Radiotherapy 13th Feb 2011

I didn't read the whole thread to know whether it has already been suggested or not, but what really helped me was aspirin and a hot/cold pack that I microwaved for 15-20 seconds and then sat on so that it was right under the scrotum. Sweet relief. Good luck. Didn't have much bruising, but there was some down there.

i had no swelling at all but had been told that it would be normal if I did.

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40 years old - Diagnosed at 40
Robotic Surgery Mount Sinai with Dr. Samadi Jan, 2011
complete urinary control and good erections with and without meds
Prostate was small, 34 grams.
Final Gleason score 7 (3+4)
Less than 5% of slides involved tumor
Tumor measured 5 mm in greatest dimension and was located in the right lobe near the apex.
Tumor was confined to prostate.
The apical, basal, pseudocapsular and soft tissue resection margins were free of tumor.
Seminal vesicles were free of tumor.
Right pelvic node - benign fibroadiopse tissue. no lymph node is identified.
Left pelvic node - one small lymph node, negative for tumor (0/1)

AJCC stage: pT2 NO MX

I remember when I first noticed the swelling. I did not panic because I was warned. I did how ever laugh out loud because to me that whole area looked like Jabba the Hut (Star Wars) with a crazy straw.
That phrase alone brought my wife to tears. It has the same effect on most people I tell that story too.
You just can't make this stuff up!

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Every minute you fish or ride,adds an hour to your life!

Age 52 Dx age 53 daVinci surgery
prostate volume 32 grams
Biopsy 12 cores with 7 positive
Gleason score of 7
Psa at surgery 49.8
RRP on 01/25/11
PT3a
margin involved-Left anterior
lymph nodes clear
1st PO Psa 0.26 03/16/11
2nd PO Psa 0.08-05/19/11
3rd PO Psa 0.05-08/22/11,4th-01/25/12 0.09.
Lots of ED

My wife still teases me 11 years after I had my RP about the basketballs I had right after surgery.

9 days post-op, urine flow is at a trickle and painful after catherter was removed on day 7. Bowel movements are great after using an enema, it seems every time I go unrinate it I have to make number 2. I was hoping the urinating discomfort would end after a day but that's not the case so far.

I'm 50 years old, not sure if I mentioned that before, prostate weighed 47 grams after removal, cancer in 50% of left side, 5% of right side, both seminal vesicles free of cancer and both Lymph nodes(left and right) cancer free.

Svelte1,

Svelte

Thanks 142 and tvwohio.

I have to consider the fact that one nerve was spared and the other not because of concern although lab results says it was cancer free after removal. Last night I woke up with a semi-hard one and that was a a good sign I thought. I do the kegels 4 times each day and as often as possible when I think about it. I have stool softener but I did not ask my doctor for a recommended type. I can't expect much after 3 days having the cath removed. Urinating is painful but I think it will get better, I had the cath for 7 days and that was very uncomfortable.