Da Vinci Prostatectomy - The State-of-the-Art Surgical Option

The prostate gland is part of the reproductive system of males which produces a fluid which is a component of semen. About the same size as a walnut, it is located below the bladder and above the rectum, surrounding the urethra (which is the tube which empties the bladder's urine). Cancer of the prostate occurs when malignant cells grow in the prostate tissues. Apart from cancer of the skin, prostrate cancer is the most frequent malignancy found in men, with over two hundred thousand new cases in the year 2007. Except for lung cancer, prostate cancer causes more deaths than any other form of cancer. On the other hand, autopsies show that many men have prostate cancer without it becoming a major health issue: one man in six will have a positive diagnosis at some point in life; however only one man in thirty-four will die of the disease. Almost two million men in the U.S. have survived cancer of the prostate. There are various prostate cancer treatments options open which depend upon the patient's health and age, his Gleason score, and at what stage the cancer is diagnosed. Early detection implies a greater chance of survival. Each patient must discuss his options with his physician for his particular case.

Radical prostatectomy involves removing the prostate gland together with some of its surrounding tissue. There are potential side effects - inability to have erections and incontinence - which can be obviated by detecting the cancer early and using techniques such as the Illinois Da Vinci surgical robot which spare nerves. Using these procedures most radical prostatectomy patients regain their erectile function and urinary continence after a period of post-surgical recovery. Options for radical prostatectomy include open surgery (the traditional method), laparoscopic surgery, and robotic-assisted surgery.

In the traditional open surgical procedure the surgeon makes an eight or ten inch incision to reach the prostate. This technique often causes a considerable loss of blood and a long and uncomfortable recovery period. The conventional laparoscopy technique uses a special surgical camera together with surgical instruments which make a number of small incisions to reach and remove the prostate. Conventional laparoscopy has been almost entirely superseded by Da Vinci prostatectomy, which is a robot-assisted laparoscopy. This is a minimally invasive surgical procedure which tends to minimize unwanted side effects. This procedure requires a very small incision which causes less pain, less anesthesia, less risk of infection, less time in the hospital, faster recovery, and a quicker return to normal life activities in most cases. During the operation a team of surgeons are always at the controls directing the Da Vinci's robotic camera (which the shows the surgeons on a large screen exactly what is happening inside the patient in three-dimensions), and also its two robotic arms which are operated by the surgeon's hand movements.

So when you are considering your options in prostate cancer treatments [http://www.riversidehealthcare.org/services/cancer-institute/robotic-cancer-surgery.html], you should consider first the Illinois Da Vinci surgical robot. State of the art computer robotics makes Da Vinci prostatectomy [http://www.riversidehealthcare.org/services/cancer-institute/robotic-cancer-surgery.html] the statistically best all around option in most cases.

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