Prostate cancer, which is among the most common cancers in men, can often be confused with benign prostate enlargement due to the late manifestation of its symptoms. While the most effective treatment method of prostate cancer, which is an important cause of familial transmission, is surgery; Robotic surgery, which is among these methods, stands out due to the advantages it provides. Robotic surgery, which provides advantages to the patient such as less blood loss, less pain, preservation of sexual functions, and urinary control, increases the comfort in the healing process and ensures a quality life for the person. Memorial Ankara Hospital, Department of Urology, Prof. Dr. Ali Fuat Atmaca gave information about the advantages of robotic surgery in prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is among the most common cancers in men. A genetic predisposition can be mentioned among the reasons, since it has a family history and is seen at different rates among ethnic elements. Advanced age, environmental risk factors, obesity, high amounts of alcohol and smoking are other causes of prostate cancer.
Beware of familial transition!
Very few prostate cancers show true hereditary transmission. Familial prostate cancers occur at earlier ages. For this reason, it is beneficial for those with a family history of prostate cancer to have a urological examination at an earlier age, after the age of 40.
May be confused with benign prostatic enlargement
Early symptoms of prostate cancer, which do not show symptoms unless they reach advanced stages, can often be confused with benign prostate enlargement. However, in the later stages, it can manifest itself with symptoms such as inability to urinate, obstruction of the kidney channels and pain.
Robotic method is most commonly used in prostate cancer surgery
While the most important treatment of prostate cancer that has not spread to distant regions is surgery; This surgery is performed with 3 different techniques: open, laparoscopic and robotic. Due to the advantages it provides in recent years, robotic surgery is among the more preferred methods. Robotic surgery constitutes one of the most advanced technologies in today's medical practice. Its use especially in urology surgeries is increasing day by day. The most common use of robots in urology is the surgical treatment of prostate cancer.
Robotic instruments move according to the surgeon's hand movements
No preparation is required before robotic surgery in prostate cancer. It is necessary for the patient to fast for 6-8 hours before the operation, because of the application of narcosis before the operation. The "da Vinci Robotic Surgery" system, which enables the operation to be performed, consists of 3 main units. These; imaging unit, the unit to which the robotic arms are attached, and the console, where the surgeon sits to control the robot and performs the operation. Robotic surgery, which is a closed operation, is performed by entering through 5 8 mm-1 cm diameter holes opened in the abdomen. Small tubes called “trocars” are placed in these holes, and surgery is performed by attaching a robot arm to 4 of them. 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, cauterization, stopping bleeding and suturing operations can be performed.
Life comfort increases with the advantages of robotic surgery
Robotic surgery provides the patient with many advantages and increases the comfort of life. These advantages are as follows.
-blood loss is reduced: There is less blood loss in robotic surgery compared to open surgery. During robotic surgery, the abdomen is inflated with gas and the gas pressure prevents bleeding. In addition, thanks to the robot's camera system, which provides three-dimensional vision, high resolution and can magnify the image ten to fifteen times, bleeding vessels can be noticed more easily and bleeding can be stopped.
– Less pain is felt: Since the incisions are smaller, patients feel less pain after surgery.
– Return to daily life in a shorter time: Patients undergoing robotic surgery are discharged from the hospital in a shorter time than other patients.
– The probe is quickly removed: In patients who have prostate cancer surgery with robotic surgery, the urinary bladder and the external urinary tract called the urethra are perfectly stitched together. Therefore, in many patients, the catheter is kept for a maximum of one week.
-Sexual functions are preserved: In tumors where the tumor does not extend beyond the prostate and has a low grade, the vessel-nerve bundle around the prostate, which provides hardening, can be better preserved by robotic surgery. For this reason, sexual dysfunction is less in the postoperative period.
- Urine control is provided in the early period: After prostate cancer surgeries performed with robotic surgery, urinary control is achieved in an earlier period. The most important structure in urine control is the muscle structure called the sphincter. It is also important that the external urinary canal can be protected longer. Both can be safely protected with robotic surgery and patients can achieve urinary control in the early period.
- Cancer spreading lymph nodes can also be removed: In advanced prostate cancers, with robotic surgery, lymph nodes where prostate cancer can spread can also be removed along with the prostate.
-Oral feeding begins in a short time: The patient can start oral feeding the day after the prostate cancer surgery performed with robotic surgery.
-Applicable to everyone: Robotic surgery is a method that can be applied to everyone.
-Activities of daily living are not limited: After the surgery, the daily life and social activities of the patient are not limited.
Post-operative follow-ups should not be delayed
There are some points that patients who have prostate cancer surgery with robotic surgery should pay attention to. These patients should pay attention to their follow-up after the surgery and follow the recommendations of the physician as a result of the evaluation of the pathology result.
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