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Transrectal Ultrasound Guided Prostate Biopsy
Transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy is a procedure to remove samples of prostate tissue for testing. The procedure uses ultrasound images to guide the process of removing the samples. The samples are taken to a lab to be checked for prostate cancer.
This procedure is usually done to evaluate the prostate gland of men who have raised (elevated) levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which can be a sign of prostate cancer.
Tell a health care provider about:
- Any allergies you have.
- All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.
- Any problems you or family members have had with anesthetic medicines.
- Any blood disorders you have.
- Any surgeries you have had.
- Any medical conditions you have.
What are the risks?
Generally, this is a safe procedure. However, problems may occur, including:
- Prostate infection.
- Bleeding from the rectum.
- Blood in the urine.
- Allergic reactions to medicines.
- Damage to surrounding structures such as blood vessels, organs, or muscles.
- Difficulty passing urine.
- Nerve damage. This is usually temporary.
- Pain.
What happens before the procedure?
Staying hydrated
Follow instructions from your health care provider about hydration, which may include:
- Up to 2 hours before the procedure – you may continue to drink clear liquids, such as water, clear fruit juice, black coffee, and plain tea.
Eating and drinking restrictions
Follow instructions from your health care provider about eating and drinking, which may include:
- 8 hours before the procedure – stop eating heavy meals or foods such as meat, fried foods, or fatty foods.
- 6 hours before the procedure – stop eating light meals or foods, such as toast or cereal.
- 6 hours before the procedure – stop drinking milk or drinks that contain milk.
- 2 hours before the procedure – stop drinking clear liquids.
Medicines
Ask your health care provider about:
- Changing or stopping your regular medicines. This is especially important if you are taking diabetes medicines or blood thinners.
- Taking over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, herbs, and supplements.
- Taking medicines such as aspirin and ibuprofen. These medicines can thin your blood. Do not take these medicines unless your health care provider tells you to take them.
General instructions
- You may be given antibiotic medicine to help prevent infection. If so, take the antibiotic as told by your health care provider.
- You will be given an enema. During an enema, a liquid is injected into your rectum to clear out waste.
- You may have a blood or urine sample taken.
- Plan to have someone take you home from the hospital or clinic.
What happens during the procedure?
- To lower your risk of infection:
- Your health care team will wash or sanitize their hands.
- Hair may be removed from the surgical area.
- Your skin will be cleaned with a germ-killing soap.
- You may be given antibiotic medicine.
- An IV will be inserted into one of your veins.
- You will be given one or both of the following:
- A medicine to help you relax (sedative).
- A medicine to numb the area (local anesthetic).
- You will be placed on your left side, and your knees will be bent toward your chest.
- A probe with lubricated gel will be placed into your rectum, and images will be taken of your prostate and surrounding structures.
- Numbing medicine will be injected into your prostate.
- A biopsy needle will be inserted through your rectum and guided to your prostate using the ultrasound images.
- Prostate tissue samples will be removed, and the needle will then be removed.
- The biopsy samples will be sent to a lab to be tested.
The procedure may vary among health care providers and hospitals.
What happens after the procedure?
- Your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood oxygen level will be monitored until the medicines you were given have worn off.
- You may have some discomfort in the rectal area. You will be given pain medicine as needed.
- Do not drive for 24 hours if you received a sedative.
Summary
- A transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy removes samples of tissue from your prostate.
- This procedure is usually done to evaluate the prostate gland of men who have raised (elevated) levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which can be a sign of prostate cancer.
- After your procedure, you may feel some discomfort in the rectal area.
- Plan to have someone take you home from the hospital or clinic.
Care After Instructions Transrectal Ultrasound Guided Prostate Biopsy,
This is the information about how to care for yourself after your procedure. Your doctor may also give you more specific instructions. If you have problems or questions, contact your doctor.
What can I expect after the procedure?
After the procedure, it is common to have:
- Pain and discomfort in your butt, especially while sitting.
- Pink-colored pee (urine), due to small amounts of blood in the pee.
- Burning while peeing (urinating).
- Blood in your poop (stool).
- Bleeding from your butt.
- Blood in your semen.
Follow these instructions at home:
Medicines
- Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your doctor.
- If you were prescribed antibiotic medicine, take it as told by your doctor. Do not stop taking the antibiotic even if you start to feel better.
Activity
- Do not drive for 24 hours if you were given a medicine to help you relax (sedative) during your procedure.
- Return to your normal activities as told by your doctor. Ask your doctor what activities are safe for you.
- Ask your doctor when it is okay for you to have sex.
- Do not lift anything that is heavier than 10 lb (4.5 kg), or the limit that you are told, until your doctor says that it is safe.
General instructions
- Drink enough water to keep your pee pale yellow.
- Watch your pee, poop, and semen for new bleeding or bleeding that gets worse.
- Keep all follow-up visits as told by your doctor. This is important.
Contact a doctor if you:
- Have blood clots in your pee or poop.
- Notice that your pee smells bad or unusual.
- Have very bad belly pain.
- Have trouble peeing.
- Notice that your lower belly feels firm.
- Have blood in your pee for more than 2 weeks after the procedure.
- Have blood in your semen for more than 2 months after the procedure.
- Have problems getting an erection.
- Feel sick to your stomach (nauseous).
- Throw up (vomit).
- Have new or worse bleeding in your pee, poop, or semen.
Get help right away if you:
- Have a fever or chills.
- Have bright red pee.
- Have very bad pain that does not get better with medicine.
- Cannot pee.
Summary
- After this procedure, it is common to have pain and discomfort around your butt, especially while sitting.
- You may have blood in your pee and poop.
- It is common to have blood in your semen for 1–2 months.
- If you were prescribed antibiotic medicine, take it as told by your doctor. Do not stop taking the antibiotic even if you start to feel better.
- Get help right away if you have a fever or chills.