Robotic Urologic Surgery
Urologic surgery
Saint Joseph ’s Center for Robotic Surgery is among a select few centers in the world with the infrastructure and expertise needed to offer minimally invasive, robotic urologic surgery.
About Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the prostate. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is about the size of a walnut and surrounds the urethra (the tube that empties urine from the bladder). The prostate gland produces fluid that makes up part of the semen.
Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer found in males in the United States. Sixteen percent of American men will be diagnosed with the disease during their lifetime. For a large majority of these men, treatment for prostate cancer results in positive outcomes and a return to good health.
da Vinci ® Prostatectomy
If your urologist recommends surgery to treat your prostate cancer, you may be a candidate for a new, less invasive approach to surgery called da Vinci® Prostatectomy. This approach to prostatectomy provides access to the internal anatomy through five small incisions. The surgeon is empowered to perform a very precise, nerve-sparing operation with the da Vinci ® Surgical System. For the patient, da Vinci ® Prostatectomy may result in more complete eradication of cancer, retention of bladder control and potency.
For most patients, da Vinci ® Prostatectomy offers numerous potential benefits over open prostatectomy including:
As with any surgical procedure, these benefits cannot be guaranteed, as surgery is both patient- and procedure-specific.
For more information about robotic surgery, contact Erin Popescu, robotics program manager, at 404-851-7251.
