Prostate Biopsy: Risks
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Risks
A prostate biopsy has a slight risk of causing problems such as:
- Infection. This is more common in men who have undiagnosed prostatitis. Usually, taking antibiotic medication before the biopsy prevents an infection from developing.
- Bleeding into the urethra or bladder. This can cause a blood blister (hematoma), an inability to urinate, or a need to urinate often.
- Bleeding from the rectum. If you have a transrectal biopsy, you may experience a small amount of bleeding from your rectum for 2 to 3 days after the biopsy.
- An allergic reaction to the anesthetic medications used during the biopsy.
After the biopsy
Call your doctor immediately if you:
- Have heavy bleeding or bleeding continues longer than 2 to 3 days.
- Have increased pain.
- Have a fever.
- Are unable to urinate within 8 hours or have blood in the urine for longer than 2 to 3 days.
| Last updated: | March 12, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS |
| Reviewed By: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine, Avery L. Seifert, MD - Urology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer |
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