da Vinci® Robotic Prostatectomy

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A da Vinci® Robotic Prostatectomy is a minimally invasive surgery that is used to remove a male patient’s prostate cancer. During this procedure, the prostate gland, and usually some surrounding tissue, are surgically removed. Using da Vinci® technology, your surgeon will complete the surgery with the assistance of a robotic platform that has wristed instruments and a 3-D camera.

During a regular, open-surgery prostatectomy, the surgeon makes a long incision, either in the lower abdomen (a retropubic prostatectomy) or in the perineum (a perineal prostatectomy). To access the prostate during a perineal prostatectomy, the incision is made between the anus and scrotum.

During a da Vinci® Robotic Prostatectomy, your surgeon can perform the surgery laparoscopically. A few small incisions will be made, rather than a long incision. The high-tech da Vinci® “robot” will access the prostate through these small incisions. (Please note that the da Vinci® robot does not operate on its own; it is constantly being maneuvered by your surgeon.) The da Vinci® system allows your surgeon to use the 3-D camera for more precise detection and the miniature wristed instruments for more defined removal of the cancer.

With a prostatectomy, many men’s top goal is to eliminate the cancer while maintaining urinary continence and erectile function. Studies have shown that men who have a da Vinci® Robotic Prostatectomy, rather than an open-surgery radical prostatectomy, regain their urinary continence within 6 months and regain their ability to have an erection faster, too.