Prostatectomy
The gold standard treatment option for men under 70 with early-stage,
organ-confined cancer is surgical removal of the prostate using nerve-sparing
radical prostatectomy. Prostatectomy is also the most widely used treatment
for prostate cancer today in the US.
The primary goal of prostatectomy is removal of the cancer. A secondary
goal is to preserve urinary function and -- when applicable -- erectile
function. Preservation of the nerves necessary for erections can be
an extremely important goal for patients. These nerves run alongside
the prostate and are often damaged when removing the prostate. A nerve-sparing
prostatectomy attempts to preserve these nerves so that the patient
may be able to return to his prior erectile function.
Types of Prostatectomy
Approaches to this procedure include traditional open surgery, conventional
laparoscopic surgery or da Vinci ® Prostatectomy, which
is a robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery.
With a traditional open procedure, your surgeon uses an 8-10 inch
incision to access the prostate. This approach often results in substantial
blood loss, a lengthy, uncomfortable recovery and a risk of impotence
and incontinence.
Conventional laparoscopy uses a specialized surgical camera and rigid
instruments to access and remove the prostate using a series of small
incisions. This approach provides your surgeon with better visualization
than an open approach. In addition, it provides patients the benefits
of a minimally invasive procedure.
Despite these advantages, conventional laparoscopy relies on rigid
instruments and standard 2D video, technical limitations that can be
challenging for the surgeon. Because of these drawbacks, conventional
laparoscopy doesn’t lend itself well to complex procedures like
prostatectomy. Therefore, very few urologists use this approach for
prostatectomy. Moreover, neither laparoscopy nor open surgery can provide
adequate visualization for a very precise, nerve-sparing prostatectomy.
da Vinci Prostatectomy (dVP)
Referred to by many as robotic surgery for prostate cancer or robotic
prostatectomy, da Vinci® Prostatectomy is more
accurately a robot-assisted, minimally invasive surgery that is quickly
becoming the preferred treatment for removal of the prostate following
early diagnosis of prostate cancer. In fact, studies suggest that da
Vinci Prostatectomy may be the most effective, least
invasive prostate surgery performed today.1
Though any diagnosis of cancer can be traumatic, the good news is
that if your doctor recommends prostate surgery, the cancer was probably
caught early. And, with da Vinci Prostatectomy,
the likelihood of a complete recovery from prostate cancer without
long-term side effects is, for most patients, better than it has ever
been.
da Vinci Prostatectomy is performed with the assistance of
the da Vinci Surgical System – the
latest evolution in robotics technology. The da Vinci Surgical
System enables surgeons to operate with unmatched precision and control
using only a few small incisions. Recent studies suggest that da
Vinci Prostatectomy may offer improved cancer control and a faster
return to potency and continence. da Vinci Prostatectomy
also offers these potential benefits:
- Significantly less pain
- Less blood loss
- Fewer complications
- Less scarring
- A shorter hospital stay
- And a faster return to normal daily activities
If you are a candidate for prostate surgery, talk to a surgeon who
performs da Vinci Prostatectomy.
