What the operation is and what consent must cover
Robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy removes the prostate gland for selected prostate cancers. The robotic instruments are controlled by the surgeon; the surgeon remains responsible for the operation. This is a cancer operation, not a cosmetic or routine procedure, so the consent discussion should address both cancer control and the functional consequences you care about.
Consent is not a single signature. It is a process in which the treating surgeon explains the proposed operation, the alternatives that are reasonable for your case, the material risks, and what is known and not yet known about your disease. If any part of that explanation is missing, or if you are being asked to sign before you have had a chance to ask questions, that is a reason to pause.
The questions below are grouped by the decisions that remain unclear before consent. They are written for an overseas patient who may be arranging care in China, but the clinical answers must come from the treating hospital and licensed clinicians, not from a coordination service.
Cancer control: stage, grade and the planned operation
The first consent question is whether the proposed operation matches your actual cancer. Ask the surgeon to walk through your staging and grading, including the biopsy findings and any imaging, and to explain why radical prostatectomy is being recommended rather than surveillance, radiotherapy or another option. The answer should be specific to your records, not a general description of the procedure.
Ask what will be removed and what will be preserved. For example, will the surgeon attempt nerve-sparing on one side, both sides or neither, and what does that decision depend on? Will lymph nodes be sampled, and if so, which ones? Will the surgical approach be purely robotic, or might it convert to open surgery, and what would trigger that change?
Ask how the team will judge whether the cancer has been adequately treated. This usually involves the final pathology report on the removed prostate, including margin status and any lymph node findings. Ask when that report is expected, who will explain it to you, and what the next step would be if the pathology shows something that needs further treatment.
If you have been told that the operation is 'the best option', ask what that means for your cancer risk category and what the evidence is. You are entitled to ask about the uncertainty in any recommendation. A surgeon should be able to explain the reasoning without promising a cure.
A practical step: ask for the proposed operation to be described in writing, including the planned extent of surgery and the intended nerve-sparing approach. If the written plan and the verbal explanation differ, ask why before you sign.
Functional priorities: continence and sexual function
Radical prostatectomy can affect urinary continence and erectile function. No surgeon can guarantee that either will be preserved. The consent discussion should therefore cover what is known about your baseline function, what the planned nerve-sparing approach is intended to protect, and what support will be available if recovery is slower or incomplete.
Ask how your current urinary and sexual function will be assessed before surgery. Ask what the team's approach to pelvic floor muscle training is, when it should start, and who provides it. Ask what options exist for erectile function rehabilitation and whether those are part of the plan or separate referrals.
Ask what you should expect in the first days and weeks after the catheter is removed, and what symptoms would require urgent contact with the team. Do not accept a vague 'it varies' as the whole answer. You need to know who to call, how to reach them, and what would count as an emergency.
If you are travelling from another country, ask how follow-up for continence and sexual function will be arranged after you return home. The receiving clinician or physiotherapist can assess you independently; the question is whether the surgical team will provide a written summary and whether a local clinician is willing to continue care. Ask for that handover to be planned before discharge, not after.
Catheter care, hospital stay and discharge planning
A urinary catheter is typically left in place for a period after radical prostatectomy. The exact duration and the instructions for care must come from your treating team. Before consent, ask how the catheter will be managed in hospital, who will teach you or your companion to care for it, and what the plan is for removal.
Ask what the discharge criteria are. What needs to be true before you can leave the hospital? Who decides? What written instructions will you receive about activity, lifting, driving, wound care and when to resume medicines? If you take anticoagulants or other regular medicines, ask who will manage them around the operation and who will confirm the plan.
Ask what the plan is if you develop a fever, cannot pass urine, have heavy bleeding or severe pain after discharge. You need a named route to reach the team, not a general hospital switchboard. If you are staying in a hotel or serviced apartment, ask whether the team can provide instructions that your companion can follow.
For an overseas patient, discharge planning also includes transport and supervision. The treating team's safety instructions about travelling after sedation or anaesthesia, and about who should stay with you, take priority over convenience. Ask for those instructions in writing before you arrange travel.
Pathology review and what happens after the operation
The final pathology report is a key document. It describes what was found in the removed prostate and lymph nodes and helps the team decide whether further treatment or monitoring is needed. Before consent, ask who will review the pathology, when you will receive the explanation, and whether you will get a written copy in a language you can use.
Ask whether the hospital will provide the pathology report and operative notes for you to take home or share with your local clinician. If you need a translation, ask how that will be arranged and who is responsible for its accuracy. A coordination service can help with practical arrangements, but the clinical content must come from the treating team.
Ask what follow-up is planned. This may include PSA testing, imaging or clinical review at intervals determined by your treating clinician. Do not accept a fixed schedule from a non-clinician. Ask the surgeon what the plan is for your case and what would prompt a change.
If the pathology shows a finding that requires additional treatment, ask how that would be discussed and whether it would happen in China or after you return home. Ask whether the team will communicate with your local clinician and what records they will share.
Records, costs and the next step before you agree
Before you consent, make sure you have the records that the surgical team has actually reviewed. These typically include biopsy reports, imaging, PSA results, and any previous treatment records. Ask which documents are still missing and whether the team needs them before a final recommendation. If a record is missing, ask what difference it could make to the plan.
Ask for a written estimate that separates hospital charges from any coordination or travel costs. Ask what the estimate includes and what it does not, and what would change it. Do not rely on a verbal figure. If you are comparing hospitals, compare the scope of what is included, not just the headline number.
You do not need to purchase a proxy consultation to ask these questions. An initial enquiry can be a short summary of your diagnosis and your main question. The hospital decides whether the operation is suitable for you; a coordination service does not make that decision.
A practical next step: write down the questions above, ask for the answers in writing, and take time to review them with someone you trust. If the team cannot or will not answer the consent questions that matter to you, that is important information. You can ask for a second opinion or request more time before deciding.
ChinaSpecialistCare can help international patients request a specialist appointment, prepare records for review and arrange interpretation during consultations. We do not decide suitability, prescribe treatment or guarantee hospital acceptance. You can start with a free initial case review by sharing a brief summary of your diagnosis and your main question.
Sources & scope of this guide
References and official service information relevant to this guide.
This is general planning information and has not been individually reviewed by a doctor. Medical decisions and personal treatment advice come from your treating clinicians.