Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Prostatectomía abierta
Open prostatectomy (… PROS-tuh-TEK-toh-mee)
An operation to remove part or all of the prostate gland through an incision in the lower abdomen or perineum (the area between the anus and scrotum). An open prostatectomy may be done to remove an enlarged prostate gland in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or as a treatment for prostate cancer.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.