Prostate removal by robotic procedure da Vinci

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Could you advise the side effects after such a procedure please, together with the likely chance of reoccurrence?

What preparation is done before op, and presumably general anaesthetic?

  • Hi Badger12347

    My name is Gemma and I am one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists on the Macmillan Support Line.

    Thank you for getting in touch regarding your enquiry about robotic prostate removal (the da Vinci robot)

    There are three types of surgery to remove the prostate – keyhole surgery either by hand or robot-assisted, and open surgery.

    The advantages of keyhole surgery, both by hand and robot-assisted, are that you are likely to lose less blood, have less pain, spend less time in the hospital, and heal and return to normal activities more quickly than with open surgery.

    I have enclosed some information from the Robotic-assisted (Da Vinci®) laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

    Before the procedure you will have a pre-operative appointment, this is the opportunity to ask questions, talk about any other health conditions and be informed of the anaesthetic process.

    The procedure does come with side effects and they will talk you through these and let you know what needs to be reported back to your clinical team.

    It is difficult to talk through the risk of recurrence, when they remove the prostate, they look at it under a microscope, this gives the consultant a clearer idea of what stage it is and what the risks are.

    There is more information about prostate cancer and treatments on the website Prostate Cancer UK.

    You can call the Macmillan Support Line for free on 0808 808 00 00 as it can be easier to discuss diagnosis, treatments, or practical support in real-time with a specialist. 

    You can explore our Online Forums, whether you're looking to connect with someone who has a similar experience, or share tips on how to cope, there's a space for everyone.

    Best wishes

    Gemma

    Cancer Information Nurse Specialist  

    You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.  

    Ref  GeS/HeP