Robotic Prostatectomy

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the United States of America. Radical prostatectomy is the most common treatment for localized prostate cancer. The goals of radical prostatectomy are to achieve cancer control, maintain continence, and preserve potency.

Since its introduction in 1999, the da Vinci Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA) has become an integral tool in urologic surgery. Robot assistance reduced many of the challenges associated with laparoscopic prostatectomy with the result that Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy was rapidly adopted for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. Currently, more than 75 % of radical prostatectomies are performed robotically.

Advantages of the robotic system include improved ergonomics, wristed instrumentation, and magnified, three-dimensional visualization facilitating suturing and dissection during minimally invasive prostatectomy.

The robotic system consists of three components: the Surgeon Console, Patient Side Cart, and Video Tower. A dedicated robotic team aids in improving surgical efficiency while an assistant skilled in minimally invasive and robotic surgery is important in achieving optimal outcomes in robotic prostatectomy.