Comparison between traditional and robot assisted surgery for Prostate Cancer

 

Cancer begins when the body cells begin to grow out of control. This can happen in nearly any part of the body where cells being to grow cancerous. In prostate cancer, the cells in the prostate gland begin to grow out of control (i.e. the cells divide without order). The size of the prostate gland can change as a man grows older. In younger men, it is nearly about the size of a walnut, but it can be much larger in older men. Some prostate cancers grow and spread quickly, but mostly they grow slowly.

There are various screening tests available to detect for the Prostate Cancer such as Prostate-specific Antigen (PSA) Blood test, Digital Rectal Exam (DRE), Prostate Biopsy. Some test result might not for sure suggest about Prostate cancer but getting a biopsy done might be the best option.

The treatment option include traditional approach i.e. radical prostatectomy, in which entire prostate gland is removed and can be performed in different ways.  Alternatively, there is another option such as robot assisted radical prostatectomy. In this approach, miniature sized robotic surgical instruments are passed through several much smaller incisions in the patient’s abdomen.

However, most studies show no major statistical difference between the procedures in terms of patient survival. For instance, a study shows that the robotically-treated men had shorter lengths of hospital stay, and they also reported low pain after surgery. Men who underwent robotically-assisted surgery also reported fewer complications such as blood clots, urinary tract infections, and bladder neck contracture, which is generally a treatable condition that occurs when scarring in the bladder outflow makes it difficult to urinate.

Both surgical methods traditional and robot assisted achieve excellent outcomes. Robotic assisted being in its minimally invasive nature shows slight more advantages. Moreover, than any surgical approach, a well-trained surgeon is the most important factor to achieve satisfactory results.

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