Many patients have questions about this important procedure. If you don’t find the information you need here, contact your health care provider or refer to the additional resources below.
What is a radical prostatectomy?
Radical prostatectomy is the surgical removal of the entire prostate gland and the surrounding cancerous tissue, including both seminal vesicles.
What is “robotic surgery?”
The term can be confusing, because it gives the impression that the robot is performing the surgery. On the contrary, ThedaCare’s da Vinci system can only perform maneuvers as directed by your surgeon. Da Vinci cannot, in any way, run or make decisions on its own.
How is robotic surgery different than laparoscopic surgery?
Similarities:
- In both procedures, the surgeon operates through several small incisions instead of the single large incision required for open surgery.
- Both procedures use a tiny camera, known as an endoscope, to provide images of the operating field.
Differences:
- In robotic-assisted surgeries, the surgeon views a three-dimensional image, instead of the two-dimensional image used in laparoscopic procedures, allowing for better depth perception.
- Robotic instrumentation is uniquely designed to mimic the surgical movements allowed by the human hand, wrist and elbow.
Additional Resources
ThedaCare Valley Urologic Associates Urology Associates of Wisconsin (920) 831-6999 (920) 739-3537 (920) 722-7747
(866) 746-0165