Private MD News

Robot-assisted prostate surgery improves outcomes

Category: Prostate

After a man receives lab test results indicating he has prostate cancer, his primary concern may be about the side effects of treatment. The cancer is very slow to progress, so it generally has favorable treatment outcomes. However, many of the therapies used can lead to erectile dysfunction and incontinence.

Yet, surgical procedures are improving and helping men avoid these complications. A recent study published in the journal European Urology showed that robot-assisted prostate surgery is becoming more common, and it produces fewer complications than traditional surgical methods.

For the study, researchers from the Henry Ford Hospital analyzed the medical records of nearly 20,000 men who underwent surgery to remove prostate tumors between October 2008 and December 2009. The results showed that more robot-assisted procedures were conducted than traditional surgeries.

Furthermore, the team found that fewer men who received robot-assisted procedures reported post-operative complications than those who underwent open surgical operations. The researchers said their findings support the growing use of minimally invasive prostate surgeries and suggest that the trend toward this type of operation may be a positive one.