Preparing for Robotic Prostatectomy

If you’ve had initial radiation treatment and your cancer comes back, you may be a candidate for robotic salvage prostatectomy, in which the prostate gland is removed using the robotic surgical interface. This approach is useful because radiation treatment often alters the structure of the prostate, making a post-radiation prostatectomy more complicated than a regular one and with more potential side effects, so even more precision is required.

While salvage treatments may have higher potential risks and complications than upfront primary treatment, Fox Chase has considerable experience with complex salvage treatment options.

Robotic-assisted laparoscopic (da Vinci) surgery offers similar or better outcomes than conventional open surgery and is less invasive. Over eighty percent of modern prostatectomies are currently performed robotically.

Fox Chase is at the forefront of using robotic technology to enhance surgical results, and our surgeons are regional leaders in robotic prostatectomy.  However, for patients who may not be candidates for the robotic approach, Fox Chase surgeons are expert at performing prostate removal using traditional open techniques.

During this surgery, surgeons insert a small camera and specialized surgical instruments in the patient's lower abdomen. The camera allows the surgeon to see the prostate and surrounding structures at 10x magnification. Because this is a comparatively blood-less surgery, the surgeon has a clear view of the prostate and the vital surrounding structures, allowing for greater surgical precision. Upon completion of the operation, the surgeon removes the prostate and surrounding pelvic lymph nodes through the small incisions in the lower abdomen.

Recovery following robotic surgery typically involves one day in the hospital and a few weeks out of work. While short-term impotence and incontinence are temporary side effects, regaining normal urinary and sexual function may take a few months. Risks of permanent side-effects exist and thus it is important to discuss these with your physician.  At Fox Chase, we monitor and collect data on patients’ outcomes from surgery to help improve care and decision-making for all of our patients.