Before the Procedure:

Always tell your doctor or nurse what drugs you are taking, even drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription.

You may be asked to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) warfarin (Coumadin), and any other drugs that make it hard for your blood to clot.

On the day of your procedure:

• You may be asked not to drink or eat anything for 6 to 12 hours before the procedure. This will depend on what type of anesthesia you will have.
• Take your drugs your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water.
• Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to arrive at the hospital or clinic.

After the Procedure:

Most people can go home soon after the collagen injection. It may take up to a month before the injection fully works.

It may become harder to empty your bladder. You may need to use a catheter for a few days. These problems usually go away.

Outlook (Prognosis):

You may need 2 or 3 more injections to get good results. You usually need to have injections repeated every 6 to 18 months.

Collagen implants help most men who have had transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). They help about half of men who have had their prostate gland removed to treat prostate cancer.