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Introduction to Robotic-assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy

13/08/2014

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A radical prostatectomy is a surgical procedure which is used for the treatment of prostate cancer by removing the prostate gland and some of the surrounding tissue. There are four methods which can be used to perform a radical prostatectomy. One of the most advanced methods is the robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy.


To carry out this surgery the patient will be given either a general anaesthetic or a spinal/epidural anaesthetic in order to numb the lower half of the body.  The procedure to remove the prostate gland is then carried out.  The surgeon is in the operating room but does not personally operate on the patient. The surgeon instead sits at a computer and moves a robotic system. It is the robotic system which carries out the procedure guided and controlled by the surgeon. 


The benefits of this surgery include the fact that it is carried out laparoscopically and so the scarring will be minimal and the healing time will be short. Also the robotic system allows for an extremely high degree of accuracy which cannot be achieved by the human hand. 


Whilst not every hospital will have access to robotic systems, in France the healthcare system is progressive and advanced, meaning that many hospitals will offer this robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy.


Photo Credit: France Surgery

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