New patients considering their options will be interested in the information from this early study on robotic surgery.
To the authors’ knowledge, the current study is the first report of 5-year outcomes in men undergoing RAP. These data demonstrate that RAP can be performed with favorable outcomes while minimizing complications. As experience increases, further improvements in clinicopathologic and functional parameters are achieved. Cancer 2007. (c) 2007 American Cancer Society
To read the entire abstract ahead of printed article click here.
Robot assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy (RLRP) (RAP?) is certainly becoming the mainstream method of open surgery. The most expert urologist/surgeon in our city was the impetus to our major hospital consortium recently adding RLRP as a PC treatment option. Though he has had hundreds of hands-on, tactile feel, experience in RP, he recognizes the less invasive, less blood loss, and improved visual provided by RLRP over RP. As a matter of info, though having been previously experienced in seed implant brachytherapy, he has now become trained in administering Cyberknife radiation as well as RLRP. He sees both as having advantage over RP and brachytherapy, remarking that brachytherapy seed implants have resulted in too much damage to rectal sphincter areas.
Thanks as always for catching this report, Kathy.
This information looks highly encouraging. Dr. Tewari is not in the list of authors, though he practices in New York at Presbyterian. Perhaps NYC has at least two large and experienced robotic surgery practices.
Our support group has heard reports that there are occasional serious complications from robotic RPs. If you come across any reports on that, positive or negative, I would appreciate knowing about it.
Jim Waldenfels