Penile length shortening after radical prostatectomy: Men's responses

BackgroundProstate cancer (PC) is the most common type of male-specific cancer in North American men, and many men choose radical prostatectomy (RP) to remove their cancer. Although penile length shortening (PLS) occurs in a reported 68% to 71% of men undergoing RP, little is known about it. In an electronic journal search, only 9 medical articles (with no nursing publications) were published between 1980 and 2007.PurposeTo provide an account of patients’ perceptions and responses to living with PLS after RP.Methods and sampleSemi-structured interviews and a grounded theory approach were used to discover the basic social processes regarding men's perceptions of a shortened penis and overall sense of self. A total of six men who underwent RP and consequently noticed PLS were recruited from a local PC support group for semi-structured interviews lasting between 40–60 min.ResultsBased on subjects’ own definitions of masculinity, no significant changes in the constructs of masculinity and overall self-image perception were reported.ConclusionsMen undergoing RP may not be fully aware that PLS is a possible consequence related to treatment. In spite of this, subjects were not negatively affected by its occurrence.