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Post Prostatectomy
Although prostatectomy and radiotherapy yield excellent-long term survival rates for men with prostate cancer, adverse effects (erectile dysfunction and/or urinary incontinence with subsequent undesired lifestyle modifications, anxiety about the loss of intimacy, penile atrophy (shrinkage), and negative self-perception frequently afflict patients who have undergone these procedures.
The emotional and physical challenges that occur after surgery or radiotherapy for prostate cancer frequently extend far beyond those presented by the treatment for disease. The likelihood of experiencing those adverse effects is frequently not explained sufficiently by clinicians when surgery or radiotherapy is discussed, in part because the primary focus at that time is the eradication of cancer. In addition, many patients do not receive the additional support and aftercare necessary to ensure posttreatment sexual or urologic function to their satisfaction. Their concerns remain unanswered, and their quality of life diminishes. In response to those needs, we designed the Stanley Penile Rehabilitation Treatment Protocol for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.
The Stanley Protocol was created after years of intensive consultations with postprostatectomy and/or postradiation patients who were experiencing ED, urinary incontinence, or both. We were aware of all the existing treatment options out there, but none involved a structured step-by-step approach to patient care; instead, they consisted primarily of piecemeal episodes of reactionary therapy supplied by healthcare providers when patients complained. We also found that many patients suffered from urinary incontinence and/or ED for years after surgery or radiotherapy but had never been informed of effective treatment options. The Stanley Protocol combines the best features of existing modalities that address ED or urinary incontinence with a customized, stepwise approach that addresses each patient’s medical and emotional needs. Driven by patient feedback and desired outcome, a logical therapeutic progression from the least to the most invasive treatment is followed and can be modified as progress continues or complications arise.
We typically work with your own physician but can refer you to other physicians we have successfully worked with. However, the initial phase of our Stanley Protocol can be implemented immediately without a physician. Don’t suffer a minute longer.