J L Milne

Dr J L Milne, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; jill.milne@calgaryhealthregion.ca

QUESTION

What are the experiences of men after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP)?

DESIGN

Qualitative descriptive study.

SETTING

Alberta, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

19 men (age 46–76 y), who had LRP in the past 3 years, a variety of postoperative experiences, and were able to articulate these experiences, were recruited from a randomised controlled trial (RCT) and letters sent from surgeons’ offices.

METHODS

5 individual and 3 focus group interviews (3, 5, and 6 members) were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Data from interviews and accompanying field notes were analysed inductively.

MAIN FINDINGS

(1) Men spoke of the importance of backgrounding oneself, or being informed about their condition and treatment before meeting with the urologist. This preparation allowed them to understand what the urologist was saying and thus, feel more in control. Information was obtained from videos, textbooks, and the internet. They asked the urologist to explain treatment options, including how the tumour would be removed and then sought first-hand personal knowledge …