The skilled team at Urology Centers of Alabama is committed to providing our patients with high quality, personalized medical care in our state-of-the-art facilities. Our physicians specialize in the comprehensive treatment of urological disorders using the most advanced technology available.
What is Robotic Prostate Cancer Surgery?
Of the available comprehensive treatment options, UCA is proud to offer robotic prostate cancer surgery to patients with prostate cancer. As a surgical treatment option, the radical prostatectomy procedure removes the entire prostate gland. This can be performed by laparoscopic or robotic techniques. When open prostate surgery is performed, the prostate gland is removed through a larger incision in the lower portion of the abdomen. Laparoscopic prostate surgery involves small incisions, around the size of a keyhole, which are used for inserting a lighted viewing instrument into the pelvic region and allows the surgeon to examine and remove the prostate without a large, cumbersome abdominal incision.
What is Radical Robotic Prostatectomy?
A now routine procedure, radical robotic prostatectomy is a minimally invasive procedure used to remove the entire prostate. Seated at the da Vinci robotic surgical console, the surgeon maneuvers the robotic instruments to perform the operation and remove the prostate. The robot accurately reproduces the surgeon’s sophisticated motions and completes the surgery without the need for the surgeon standing over an operating table. This computer-enhanced robotic surgical system consists of three components that provide a 3-D view of the surgical field, instruments that mimic human movements, and the ability to remain steady and precise throughout the procedure. While the da Vinci robotic prostatectomy surgery takes roughly 2-4 hours to complete, patients generally feel much better and have significantly fewer pain requirements in the early post-operative period.
Why Choose Robotics?
Studies of several thousand patients show that laparoscopic surgery is as effective as an open prostatectomy with less postoperative pain, fewer complications, shorter hospital stay, and faster recovery time. Compared to open surgery, robotic laparoscopic radical prostatectomies offer:
- Less pain
- Fewer complications
- Shorter hospital stays
- Faster recovery
- Earlier return of urinary function
- Less internal scarring
After Robotic Prostatectomy
Once you have undergone your robotic prostatectomy, the recovery can begin. Most patients, about 95%, are discharged from the hospital in one day, and the average catheter time is about a week. Almost all patients regain continence without pads in one year after the procedure, while just over a quarter of patients may experience immediate continence without requiring pads. Most patients are back to normal activities in 9-10 days after the procedure according to a third party questionnaire.