• Suprapubic prostatectomy is an uncommon procedure which is performed for hyperplasia.
• Orient the specimen by locating the urethra.  This may be difficult, since the seminal vesicles are absent and the organ may be greatly distorted by nodules.
• Weigh and measure (three dimensions) the specimen.
• Note the overall shape (round, oval, conical, distorted) of the specimen and the external surface (color, smooth vs. irregular/rough, nodular).
• Serially section the organ in the transverse plane at 3 mm intervals.
• Examine the cut surface and describe (color, soft vs. firm), particularly noting the presence of nodules (color, size range, texture, location), as these could represent nodular hyperplasia or carcinoma.

• Submit six to eight sections (half from the left and half from the right), with emphasis on nodular areas.  Include the urethra in at least one or two sections.  Dictate the location of each section.

Internal use only

Received without fixative/in formalin, labeled _____ and “_____”, is a _____ (shape) prostate without seminal vesicles (__ g and __ x __ x __ cm).  The external surface is _____ (describe).  The prostatic urethra is patent/difficult to probe due to nodularity.  The cut surface is _____ (color), with multiple _____ (color, texture) nodules, mostly in the _____ (left vs. right, anterior vs. posterior) region.  The nodules range from __ to __ cm in diameter.  Representatively submitted as follows:

#__ - #__ = left, apex to base (#__ and #__ anterior, #__ and #__ posterior); 1 piece in each.

#__ - #__ = right, apex to base (#__ and #__ posterior, #__ and #__ anterior); 1 piece in each.