New kind of robotic surgery for prostate cancer used for first time in Great Britain

September 5, 2022  19:37

British doctors have used a new type of robotic prostate cancer surgery for the first time, after which patients recover in weeks instead of months, the Daily Mail reports. 

The technique involves an incision in the perineum rather than in the front of the pelvis, as with the standard method.

Urologists at University College London Hospital recommend this surgery, noting that this approach minimizes blood loss and risk of bowel damage, and reduces postoperative complications such as urinary incontinence.

Approximately 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in the United Kingdom, and nearly eight out of ten survive for ten years or more.

If the cancer is detected early, grows slowly and causes no symptoms, patients can simply have regular checkups rather than receive more aggressive treatment.

However, if the cancer is at a later stage or if the tumor is aggressive and there is a risk of spreading, surgery, radiotherapy and medication may be resorted to. 

The prostate is a gland about the size of a walnut, located under the bladder. Because of its location, treatment often involves the risk of urinary incontinence. Surgery can also damage the nerves that feed the penis, resulting in erectile dysfunction.

Prostate surgery - known as a radical prostatectomy - is traditionally performed through one large incision using several small incisions in the lower abdomen. The newest method is robot-assisted surgery through a keyhole. During the procedure, the surgeon operates a multi-armed machine that holds the instruments.

Historically, prostatectomy was performed through the perineum, which allowed for a more direct route to the prostate. However, the location of the incision made it difficult for surgeons to see what they were doing, and by the 1990s, this method was all but abandoned.

But with the advent of robotic keyhole surgery, specialists were able to revive the method.

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