Treatment
During the consult the urologist at Duke had reasonably assured me based on my biopsy and prostate size he could do a nerve sparing prostatectomy. We had discussed laproscopic versus open. The doctor had also informed me of the uretheral scarring that happens in about 1 in 3 men after HIFU. We had talked in depth about E.D. and incontinence. We had discussed all the options including hormone therapy. As I said before, scared was my first,middle and last name. On the drive home my wife who had accompanied me and is a nurse said that if she were me she would have the surgery and get the prostate out. I was thinking HIFU. This was on Friday, June 4,2010. That Sunday evening I recieved a call back from the Canadian HIFU clinic I had also contacted. I had faxed the clinic a copy of my biopsy. The doctor was completely honest and said that HIFU only attempts unilateral nerve sparing and even though the internet sight said 1 in 5-6 men have uretheral scarring he didn't deny it could be higher. We spoke at length and I was VERY scared after we hung up. My wife told me again I should have the open surgery. I said a silent prayer and waited. About 7pm my wife was outside and told me to come out. There in the sky was a rainbow! I new that was my sign. I called Duke on Monday and scheduled an open radical retropubic prostatectomy for July 28, 2010.