10 Advantages of Robotic Surgery for Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer, which is one of the most common cancers in men, can often be confused with benign prostate enlargement due to the late onset of symptoms. While surgery is the most effective treatment method of prostate cancer, which is an important cause of familial transition, robotic surgery, which is among these methods, stands out due to its advantages.

Robotic surgery, which provides advantages to the patient such as less blood loss, less pain, protection of sexual functions and urine control, increases the comfort in the healing process and ensures a quality life. From Memorial Ankara Hospital Urology Department Prof. Dr. Ali Fuat Atmaca gave information about the advantages of robotic surgery in prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and in men in our country. Due to the fact that there is a family history and it is seen at different rates among ethnic elements, a genetic predisposition can be mentioned among the reasons. Advanced age, environmental risk factors, obesity, high amounts of alcohol and smoking are other causes of prostate cancer.

Watch out for the family transition!

Very little of the prostate cancer shows true hereditary transmission. Familial prostate cancers occur at an earlier age. For this reason, it is beneficial for those with prostate cancer in the family to undergo urological examination at an earlier age after the age of 40.

May be confused with benign prostate enlargement

Early symptoms of asymptomatic prostate cancer can often be confused with benign prostate enlargement unless it reaches advanced stages. However, it may manifest itself with symptoms such as inability to urinate, obstruction of kidney ducts and pain in the future.

Robotic method is most commonly used in prostate cancer surgery

While the most important treatment of prostate cancer that is not spread to distant regions is surgery, this surgery is performed with 3 different techniques: open, laparoscopic and robotic. Robotic surgery is among the more preferred methods due to its advantages in recent years. Robotic surgery is one of the most advanced technologies in today's medical applications. Its use especially in urology surgeries is increasing day by day. Surgical treatment of prostate cancer is the area where the robot is most commonly used in urology.

Robotic instruments move according to the surgeon's hand movements

In prostate cancer, no preparation is required before robotic surgery. It is necessary for the patient to remain hungry for 6-8 hours before the operation due to the application of anaesthesia before the surgery. The "da Vinci Robotic Surgery" system, which enables the operation to be performed, consists of 3 main units.

These are the imaging unit, the unit where the robotic arms are connected, and the console where the surgeon checks the robot and performs the surgery. Robotic surgery, which is a closed surgery, is performed by entering through 5 holes with a diameter of 8 mm-1 cm in the abdomen. Small tubes called "Trocars" are placed in these holes, and 4 of them are operated by attaching a robot arm. The 5th hole is used by the assistant doctor at the bedside. Robotic instruments move according to the surgeon's hand movements. With these tools, cutting, stopping bleeding called cauterization and suturing can be performed.

Life comfort increases with the advantages of robotic surgery

Robotic surgery provides many advantages to the patient and increases the comfort of life. These advantages are as follows.

- Blood loss decreases: In robotic surgery, there is less blood loss compared to open surgery. During robotic surgery, the abdomen is inflated with gas and gas pressure prevents bleeding. In addition, thanks to the camera system, which provides the robot with three-dimensional vision, high resolution and can magnify the image ten to fifteen times, bleeding veins can be noticed more easily and bleeding can be stopped.

- Less pain is felt: Since the surgical incisions are smaller, patients feel less pain after the surgery.

- Return to daily life in a shorter time: Patients who undergo robotic surgery are discharged from the hospital in a shorter time compared to other patients.

- The catheter is removed in a short time: With robotic surgery, the urinary bladder and the external urinary canal called urethra are perfectly sutured together in patients with prostate cancer surgery. Therefore, in many patients, the catheter is held for a maximum of one week.

-Sexual functions are preserved: In tumours where the tumour does not protrude out of the prostate and has a low degree, the vascular-nerve bundle around the prostate that provides erection can be better preserved with robotic surgery. Therefore, sexual dysfunction is less common in the postoperative period.

-Urine control is provided in the early period: Urine control is provided in the early period after prostate cancer surgeries performed with robotic surgery. The most important structure in urine control is the muscle structure called sphincter. It is also important that the external urinary canal can be preserved longer. Both can be safely protected by robotic surgery and patients can provide urine control in the early period.

- Lymph nodes spreading cancer can also be removed: In advanced prostate cancers, lymph nodes where prostate cancer can spread can also be removed with robotic surgery.

- Oral feeding starts soon: The patient may start to eat orally the day after prostate cancer surgery with robotic surgery

- Applicable to everyone: Robotic surgery is a method that can be applied to everyone.

- Daily life activities are not limited: After the surgery, the daily life and social activities of the patient are not limited.

Postoperative follow-ups should not be disrupted

There are some points that patients who undergo robotic surgery and prostate cancer surgery should pay attention to. These patients should pay attention to their follow-up after the surgery and follow the physician's recommendations as a result of the evaluation of the pathology result.

Prepared by the Medical Editorial Board. Our health library contents have been prepared for informational purposes only and with the scientific content on the registration date. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis or treatment about your health, please consult your doctor or health institution.