Prostate Cancer Surgery - Robotic Keyhole Surgery - Higher Risks - New Study! - Nurse's Report!

The most popular prostate cancer surgery is robotic keyhole surgery

, also called a laparoscopic surgery. This surgery has been performed on thousands of men. It has become popular because it is minimally invasive - not requiring large incisions and uses the da Vinci robotics system. Doctors use robotic arms and special instruments while performing the surgery. In fact, keyhole surgery uses a small incision and that's why it's called a keyhole surgery. There are other types of keyhole surgeries on other parts of the body as well.

It has become the prostate cancer surgery of choice for many because of the smaller incision meaning a day less in the hospital and a shorter recovery time.

Now a new study involving 9000 men with prostate cancer show there are risks that hadn't been addressed before. Some with traditional prostate surgery and some with robotic keyhole surgery.

The men who had the robotic keyhole surgery rather than the traditional prostate cancer surgery were more likely to report complications in the first 30 days after their surgery. In addition, later after about 18 months or so they reported more urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. This comes as a surprise to many. However, anyone considering this surgery must get all the facts.

If you are considering the surgery, make sure to discuss all the risks and complications with your prostate cancer doctor and surgeon before you have this surgery. Make sure to ask your doctor about this study also.

One has to be careful that this surgery isn't hyped up from advertisements and from others who aren't aware of all the risks. Make sure to also to ask your doctor or surgeon; whoever is performing your surgery, how many of these surgeries they have done. Ask how many of their patients had increased incontinence and/or impotence or erectile dysfunction following the surgery in the first 30 days and even 18 months later. Maybe some patients or the doctor didn't recognize the new health problems were directly related to the prostate cancer keyhole surgery.

Alternatives to the risks of robotic keyhole surgery to remove a cancerous prostate are radiation treatment or therapy or watchful waiting. Radiation therapy comes with its own problems. Many choose watchful waiting and live long lives free of problems caused by surgery. Survival rates are good. Get two or three opinions if you've been diagnosed. You may get different opinions from different doctors.

Generally, prostate cancer is slow growing but you need to check with your doctor and find out exactly what type of prostate cancer you have and if it's slow or fast-growing. Find out everything you can about prostate cancer and traditional and alternative treatment options before making any decisions.

by: Helen Hecker

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