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 National Prostate Cancer Coalition: www.fightprostatecancer.org)

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.

Health Resources:

Prostate Health The prostate is a gland that wraps around a man's urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder. Cancer can form inside this gland and exist for years without causing symptoms.

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

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.

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. 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.

Wiregrass Urology, P.C.  4300 West Main Street, Suite 102   1118 Ross Clark Circle, Suite 501 Dothan, Alabama 334-793-9564

Urological Associates of Dothan, P.A. 1118 Ross Clark Circle, Suite 500 4300 West Main Street, Suite 300 Dothan, Alabama 334-794-4159

While clinical studies support the effectiveness of the da Vinci® System when used in minimally invasive surgery, individual results may vary. Surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System may not be appropriate for every individual. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits.