Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer found in males in the United States. Of American men, 16 percent will be diagnosed with the disease during their lifetimes. For a large majority of these men, earlier diagnoses and newer medical treatment for prostate cancer result in positive outcomes and a return to good health.
Improved Treatment for Prostate Cancer - da Vinci Prostatectomy: A Less Invasive Surgical Procedure
If your doctor recommends surgery to treat your prostate cancer, you may be a candidate for a new, less-invasive surgical procedure called da Vinci prostatectomy. This procedure incorporates a state-of-the-art surgical system that helps your surgeon see vital anatomical structures more clearly and to perform a more precise surgical procedure. For most patients, da Vinci prostatectomy offers numerous potential benefits when compared to conventional open surgery, including:
- Better quality of life. Because of its far greater degree of precision, da Vinci robotic-assisted prostate surgery helps preserve sexual function and bladder control following surgery.
- Shorter hospital stay. Most patients are discharged the same day or one day after the da Vinci procedure.
- Less pain, less risk of infection. 3D visualization and increased precision enable the surgeon to perform complex procedures with much smaller incisions than those required with traditional prostate surgery.
- Less blood loss. Because da Vinci techniques magnify nerves and blood vessels 10 times, accuracy is improved and the risks of blood loss—and the possible need for transfusions—are reduced.
- Less scarring. Robotic prostatectomy patients have reduced post operative scarring because the da Vinci incisions are much smaller compared to other prostate surgery methods.
- Faster recovery and quicker return to normal activities. The ability of da Vinci prostate surgery to spare the nerves and vessels responsible for urinary and erectile function, and the less invasive nature of the procedure, result in faster recover and return to normal activities.
- Proven procedure. Although da Vinci robotic prostatectomy is a relatively recent alternative to more invasive procedures, tens of thousands of men worldwide have already benefited from this minimally invasive prostate cancer treatment.
How da Vinci Robotic Surgery Works
Working with a supporting surgical team, the surgeon operates wrist-attached master controls while seated at the da
Vinci robotic system console. The surgeon’s hand, wrist, and finger movements are seamlessly translated, with
extraordinary control and range of motion, to very small surgical instruments positioned inside the patient. These
instruments are manipulated by interactive robotic arms that precisely execute the surgeon’s movements and commands.
During this time, the specialized camera on one of the robotic arms and the robotic system’s 3-D visualization provide a view of the surgical field that is brighter, sharper and more magnified than images available through the human eye.
The Hands that Direct the Technology
Even a state-of-the-art robotic system is only as good as the human hands that direct it. With the da Vinci system,
Riverside offers not only the latest technology related to prostate surgery, but also combines it with highly skilled,
experienced and committed surgeons.
Riverside Medical Group urologist Scott Burgess, M.D. is accomplished in urologic oncology and laparoscopic surgery. He brings a high level of expertise to the robotic program at Riverside, acquired through specialized training and significant experience with da Vinci procedures. This distinctive partnering of advanced technology and traditional skills is good news for men with prostate cancer.
Is da Vinci Surgery for You?
The best candidates for da Vinci surgery for prostate cancer are generally under 70 years of age and diagnosed early. Other factors, including general medical condition, are also considered. If you’re a man 50 or older (45 for higher risk men) talk with your doctor about prostate health. For more information about da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery at Riverside, call Riverside Urology Specialists at 757-873-1374 or 757-253-0051.