The Da Vinci Prostatectomy 

If you have received a diagnosis of prostate cancer, you will want to receive compassionate care that utilizes the most advanced technology available today so that you have the best chance of recovering quickly, completely, and resuming your normal life. To do so, you will need some solid information to help guide your treatment choice so that you can make such an important decision in an informed way. 

What is the prostate? 

The prostate is one component of the male reproductive system. It only weighs about one ounce and is roughly the same size as a walnut. If you picture an area under the bladder and in front of the rectum, this is where the prostate is located. It is found following a tube called the urethra that is responsible for carrying urine from your bladder and out through your penis. The prostate is responsible for creating semen. 

As you grow older, your chances of developing prostate cancer will increase. This is an extremely common form of cancer that affects a great number of men. In fact, it is the second most common type of cancer and is also the second leading male cause of cancer death. Fortunately, recent innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer has meant that the death rate for this type of cancer is decreasing. 

Localized Prostate Cancer Treatment Choices 

There are three common types of treatments for localized prostate cancer: active surveillance, radiation therapy and surgery. 

Active Surveillance 

Active surveillance, also known as “watchful waiting”, is an approach based upon the realization that many types of prostate cancer are never life-threatening. So this approach involves monitoring different prostate metrics, which may include regular prostate biopsies. 

Radiation Therapy 

This type of therapy involves the use of radiation to destroy cancer cells in the hopes that the body’s immune system will rally and terminate any remaining cancer. 

Radical Prostatectomy 

This type of therapy is simply using surgery to remove the prostate. It involves removal of the entire prostate and surrounding tissues. 

Radical Prostatectomy and Radiation Therapy 

The advantages of these techniques is that they may be able to cure prostate cancer. However, they may also cause complications like urinary incontinence. They can also result in stomach and bowel problems, blood in the urine, pain, and bleeding or discomfort. 

Some men also experience erectile dysfunction, meaning that their erections are not strong enough for intercourse. Each type of therapy has its own advantages and disadvantages. 

Radiation Therapy 

The main advantage of radiation therapy is that it is not as invasive as surgical techniques. Patients also tend to experience complications like erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence less frequently than after a radical prostatectomy. 

One key disadvantage of undergoing radiation therapy is that the prostate will remain within the body, so some cancer cells may stay behind and cause a problem in the future. Also, even though modern techniques result in less damage to healthy neighboring tissues, the patient can still experience complications like urinary tract, genital tract and bowel problems. 

Localized prostate cancer is cancer that has remained within the prostate. This type of cancer is more difficult to treat when the cancer has migrated to another region of the body. This increases the risk of dying from the cancer. 

New Standard of Care 

Da Vinci Prostatectomy is the gold standard of care for treating localized prostate cancer within the United States. Men are increasingly choosing this type of treatment, which is commonly recommended by their doctors. This procedure is performed surgically with the assistance of a robot and is minimally invasive. It involves the removal of cancer in the prostate gland and associated structures. 

The traditional treatment for prostate cancer is a radical prostatectomy, involving surgically removing the prostate gland. This type of surgery involves the placement of a large incision and typically causes significant blood loss, and an uncomfortable and lengthy recovery, as well as the risk of developing incontinence and impotence. 

Da Vinci Prostatectomy is less invasive. 

If your doctor has recommend that you undergo surgery for the treatment of your prostate cancer, you may qualify for an innovative and less invasive procedure called da Vinci Prostatectomy. This is a more advanced procedure incorporating cutting-edge surgery that allows your surgeon to visualize critical anatomical structures more clearly so that they can better perform precision surgery. 

Advantages of da Vinci Prostatectomy 

The da Vinci Prostatectomy offers several benefits over the open type of prostatectomy, including: 

• Shorter hospitalization time 

• Less painful 
• Less chance of developing an infection 
• Involves less blood loss or the need for transfusions 
• Minimal scarring 
• Quicker recovery time 

Robotic Technology 

The da Vinci Surgery System employs cutting-edge robotic technology, allowing your surgeon to alter their hand movements, making them filtered, scaled and translated for the use of precision micro instruments during surgery. 

The da Vinci System takes place through tiny surgical openings. It is not programmable and cannot make decisions by itself. The direct input of your surgeon is required to perform every surgical maneuver. The da Vinci Surgical System has been used successfully in thousands of prostate cancer surgical procedures throughout the world. 

Surgery Overview 

The da Vinci Surgical System represents the least invasive and most effective surgical treatment option available for prostate surgery. It allows your surgeon to have an alternative to both conventional laparoscopy and conventional open surgery, putting a state-of-the-art robotic solution within their hands. It allows them to perform extremely delicate and complex procedures by utilizing tiny incisions with incredible precision. 

If you or a loved one was diagnosed with a condition that requires prostate surgery, you must inform yourself about all available treatment options so that you can make an informed decision about your care. The da Vinci Surgical System has rewritten the book on this type of urologic procedure, and patients are reaping the rewards. 

It is important to fully realize that, although the system utilizes robotic technology, your surgeon is in control at all times of every aspect of your surgery. 

When the patient’s symptoms cannot be relieved by medication or nonsurgical treatments, some type of surgery must be used to correct conditions involving the organs of the urinary tract and male reproductive organs. Such conditions include prostate cancer, kidney and bladder cancer, and certain types of urinary obstructions. 

It is common for men to experience a certain level of anxiety when facing any type of urologic surgery. You’ll probably be wondering if your body will function as it should after your surgery. Conventional types of open urologic surgery involve the placement of large incisions so that the surgeon can access needed areas of the body. Unfortunately, this intrusive type of surgery leads to increased post-surgical pain, longer recovery times, and the risk of developing a loss of continence or sexual function. 

The good news is that less invasive treatment options are often available to patients who must undergo some type of urologic surgery. Laparoscopy is the most common type, utilizing small incisions. Although the procedure can be effective in many cases, its limitations do not always allow it to be used for more complicated types of urology surgeries. 

The da Vinci Surgical System has made surgeons rethink the process of surgical intervention by introducing an entirely new category of surgery. It is a minimally invasive treatment approach that utilizes surgical and robotic innovations, making it optimal for delicate urologic surgery. 

The prostatectomy surgery is known for being risky because this area has many nerves that affect sexual function and urinary control. By using the da Vinci System, your surgical team has at its disposal cutting-edge tools that help to prevent damage to surrounding nerves so that you achieve a better outcome. 

Da Vinci Prostatectomy:Rafael Antun, MD  

Dr. Antun has established a reputation for employing the most cutting-edge technologies to benefit his patients. He has been on the forefront of adopting the da Vinci prostatectomy system, which has become the gold standard of care for surgically treating prostate cancer. 

The da Vinci Prostatectomy offers notable advantages in comparison to traditional open surgery that must be performed using large incisions, as well as traditional laparoscopic surgery that is minimally invasive. 

Da Vinci Prostatectomy Benefits: 

Effective Cancer Control 

Research indicates that highly trained surgeons provide superior results for the removal of prostate cancer without neglecting cancer cells that are left behind. 

Sexual Function: Rapid Improvement 

Research indicates that patients typically have a rapid restoration of sexual function. 

Improved Continence 

Studies have found that patients typically have a quick return of proper urinary continence. 

Superior to Conventional Treatments 

Surgical treatment for localized prostate cancer may be helpful to patients in comparison to radiation. Surgical procedures enjoy a survival rate that is both higher and longer than treatments like radiation.  

Surgical procedures also involve less risk of long-term complications over the radiation type of treatment. 

Surgery is Minimally Invasive 

Your surgeon can utilize the da Vinci System in performing even the most complicated and delicate surgical procedures using only tiny incisions, allowing them to perform surgery with unparalleled precision.