Robotic Prostatectomy

IS ROBOTIC SURGERY REALLY THAT MUCH BETTER THAN OPEN SURGERY?

Although most of the data in the medical literature to date is based on non-standardized collection methods, there is no doubt in our minds that robotically assisted surgery has more advantages than pure laparoscopy or open surgery for the treatment of prostate cancer. Robotic surgery has revolutionized the way we surgically treat prostate cancer. It allows the surgeon and the assistant to view the same operative field in a tremor-free environment with 8 – 10 times the magnifications you can achieve with the regular eye. Institutions like us that pioneered and adopted robotics into clinical practice have seen numerous advantages including:

  • Smaller incisions
  • Less pain
  • Less blood loss
  • Shorter hospital stay
  • Quicker recovery
  • Better visualization
  • Shorter catheter time
  • Same cancer surgery as open technique
  • Quicker return to continence
  • Quicker return to normal sexual function

The table below demonstrates the difference in outcomes when comparing open and minimally invasive techniques side by side:

robotic prostatectomy outcomes

Robotic Prostatectomy Discussion – David Y. Josephson, MD, FACS