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.1
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.
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.
Read about the potentially most effective, least invasive
approach to prostatectomy – da
Vinci® Prostatectomy.
- The National Prostate Cancer Coalition:
www.fightprostatecancer.org home > treatment & research > treatment
options > surgery
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.
For additional information on minimally invasive surgery
with the da Vinci® Surgical System visit www.davincisurgery.com |
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