Prostate Surgery Decreases Penis Length

Here is a recent article which discusses the significant loss of penis length after prostate surgery. Also of note, the average stretched penis before surgery was only 5.1 inches. That’s a lot smeller than we have all been lead to believe. It also suggests that penis size may decrease without use.

Beo T.

Report: Prostate Surgery May Shorten Penis
Wed Mar 26, 5:51 PM ET Add Health - Reuters to My Yahoo!

By Alison McCook

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New research suggests that men who undergo surgery to remove their prostate as a result of prostate cancer (news - web sites) may get a little less than they bargained for — in terms of penis size, that is.

Researchers at the University of Miami in Florida found that men who underwent prostate-removal surgery, known as prostatectomy, experienced a slight decrease in the size of their flaccid and stretched penis. The length of the stretched penis approximates the length of an erect penis.

In most cases, the size difference was quite small. But in 20 percent of the study participants, penile length decreased by at least 15 percent.

Before undergoing prostatectomy, men should be told that they could walk away with a slightly smaller penis, study author Dr. Mark S. Soloway told Reuters Health.

“Probably men should be informed that it’s a risk, so that they’ll be prepared for it,” he said.

The knowledge that prostatectomy can decrease penis size is very new, Soloway said, and the vast majority of men have likely never received any such warning before surgery.

“I think very few urologists, including myself, indicate to men that following prostatectomy, there may be a shortening of the penis,” he noted.

The prostate, a gland located at the base of the bladder, contributes fluids to semen. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in older men, but it only becomes invasive and life threatening in some.

In the Journal of Urology, Soloway and his team note that some men have reported a decrease in penis size following prostatectomy for prostate cancer, but little research has been dedicated to the concern.

To investigate this question, the researchers measured flaccid and stretched penile length, as well as circumference, in 124 men before prostatectomy and three months later.

All of these measures of penis size decreased after surgery, Soloway and his colleagues report.

Before surgery, the average flaccid penile length of the men included in the study was nine centimeters (3.5 inches) or longer, with an average stretched penile length of at least 13 centimeters (just over 5 inches).

After the procedure, however, the median flaccid penile length fell to eight centimeters, while the same value for stretched length dropped to 12.5 centimeters.

A total of 68 percent of participants showed a decrease in stretched penile length, with 19 percent experiencing a decrease in length of at least 15 percent.

Many study participants also reported a marked decrease in sexual functioning after prostatectomy, a known risk of the procedure, Soloway and his colleagues note.

While 92 percent of patients prior to surgery reported being able to achieve an erection, only 33 percent retained that ability three months later.

This marked impotence following surgery may, in part, explain the concurrent decrease in penis size, Soloway suggested — with lack of use, the penis may shorten.

Could knowing that prostatectomy may decrease penis size inspire some men to forgo the potentially life-saving operation?

“I don’t think we know the answer to that,” Soloway noted.

SOURCE: Journal of Urology 2003;169:1462-1464.

Size decrease does occur after postatectomy according to the guys I’ve talked with who have had this surgery.

The good news is that you can regain much or all of your loss IF you start a program of recovery of sexual function ASAP after your proceedure. Regular pumping is often recommended as well as regular Viagra use, whether or not the V. works for sexual erections.

The healing period of nerve and tissue varies with the individual. The most successful recoverers do not wait to get started any longer than they have to.

How does that saying go?
Use it or lose it.

Pretty much universally true.

As obsessed as all of us are here with our units, I don’t think there are very many “sleepy pee-pee’s” if you know what I mean. I’ve also heard that kegels can also add to a healthy prostate. Anybody know anything about that? I getting to the age when I have to start worry about prostate problems.

Hi,

I just found and joined this forum today. I had prostate cancer surgery in 11/2014 with good results. Did experience shorter penis. Dr. Appointment this week suggested pumping to regain length and located this forum. Many informative and valuable posts and will use the knowledge to treat mine. I am 66.

Thanks.

My urologist said I might see a little reduction in length and indicated about a 1/4 inch or so. I had the robotic surgery and the result of the surgery was something different entirely. I had a buried penis for months along with no control of urine flow when I sit on the toilet. I let you all use your imaginations as to how that went. Also too short to use a urinal. It felt like there was a tuggle war going on inside anytime I sat down, especially riding in a car. It is like your penis has bottomed out and the urethra is still trying to pull it in more. I talked to my doctor and was advised to pump or stretch. When there is nothing sticking out, just let me say a pump doesn’t work. I found a penis stretcher for the shortest length I could find. I had to get hold of it and pull it out enough to strap it in. It caused me pain in my gut for the next day or 2 every time I used it at its shortest setting. I used it regular anyway. I couldn’t stay like this!! Complaining to the doctor got me prescription for ED medicine, which didn’t work at all. I was desperate. After 3-4 months I saw slight growth in flaccid length. I started having small morning erections, but very short in length. After several months I found an electric pump that seems to have enough suction to do some good. I am out over a year and am still well over 1.5 inches shorter erect and probably 2 inches shorter flaccid. I don’t have such a tuggle war going on when sitting down, but I do if I bend over farther. It causes constant irritation and it drives me crazy! I still have no urine control when I am going #2 and can only use an elongated toilet. I have tried to be patient and hope it would get better, but my urologist got an earful on my last visit. I have done a lot of internet research, looking to see if there is a way to elongate the urethra. It appears there is not. I AM NOT GAY, but if I wasn’t married, I think I would be getting a bottom end sex change and get testosterone patches just to live with this! I am not saying every operation ends up this bad, but I have come across others that have been close to what I experience. I may be as bad as it gets. The doctor of course told me he had never had a patient complain about it like this. This is not about sex. AT MY WITS END!

We’ve worked with a number of men who’ve had prostate surgery and have had the very same issues as yourself. It’s not uncommon to lose a full inch of erect penis length.
The good news is that you can restore it. It won’t be easy, it will require traction and a good deal of time and dedication on your part. There’s a lot of devices out there that will generate a certain amount of traction, some more than others. I recommend you do some homework and if you need some help educating yourself on what works and what doesn’t feel free to contact us.

I may not have made myself clear in the first post, but this is not about erect length. I used an X-4 Penis expander for about 11 months 4-5 days per week 2-5 hours at a time. I tried using a hand pump vacuum of and on during that time and had no luck even getting the stretch the traction did. I gained about 3/4 inch of stretched length after about 9 months from the traction device and it seemed like the gains stopped. That is when I found new battery operated vacuum pump. I started using the battery operated vacuum pump with much stronger vacuum about 3 times a week. It gave me about an extra 1/2 inch over the traction. I did that for about 3 weeks and then last week, I experienced pain (not just discomfort) up inside my gut that lasted a whole week after doing it. I accepted the possibility of not having an erection when I had surgery. I have been able to get about a 3” erection by using a penis clamp after stretching with the new vacuum device. Even with Viagra it is still not really hard enough for sex. I can live with that.. My issue is with FLACCID LENGTH! I don’t really know how to estimate how much flaccid length I lost at the beginning, because my penis stayed pulled inside and still had tension trying to pull it in more. I have about 1” hanging out now when standing. It pulls almost all the way in while seated. If I bend over more than 90 degrees, I still have the tension pulling inside. I WOULD BE SHOUTING FROM THE ROOF TOP IF I COULD GET BACK TO WITHIN 1” OF WHERE I STARTED! Before surgery I was over 4.5 inches erect and though I never measured, probably 2.75+ when flaccid. It is almost indescribable to explain what it is like to be 1” inch or less flaccid and clothes rubbing and pushing on it all the time. I had no clue before this how much advantage there is to having enough flaccid length to fold it up or down. I thought about buying a sports cup to keep my underwear/clothes away from it, but have not done it because of the leakage aspect (especially right after I pee). I am pretty certain that my urethra length is the problem, and everything I have read says that stretching or adding to it is almost impossible. As for research, I have discussed it at length with my urologist, although I admit that at my last visit I did most of the talking. I have done months of research with many sites including Thunders Place. I have even researched what the trans males do trying to be male and found out that they cannot get much length because there is no good way to lengthen the urethra. That is why I made the comment about a bottom end sex change with testosterone patches. I have no desire to sit to pee, but have found out there is something worse than that! I am just assuming my urethra is about the right length for female anatomy. If I am missing something, I’d like to know what it is!

I hear most urologists recommend pumping to help resolve your issue, they just don’t know much if anything about penis enlargement, most don’t believe it can be done. In my opinion pumping is inadequate, it helps but it’s not the ultimate solution. It’s really more of a girth promoter than length, you could pump, hand stretch and then wear a Girth Band or narrow cock ring to help prevent retraction. I recommend you begin and aggressive hand stretching routine, and then transition into weight hanging. The problem with ALL extenders is that they simply do not generate very much traction…. at most 5-6 lbs of tension, and that’s not enough to cause any significant length change.

I had Peyronie’s disease and had a very short flaccid penis. Had a surgical length procedure to correct the problem and the following day began to hand stretch, within three days started hanging weight. The photos attached are before and six months later.

“Pictures removed, no penis pics in public forums. You can however link back to pictures in the members forum. Also, these pictures include the statement “Photo Property of…….”, this is also not allowed. Reference Forum Guidelines”