Today I got a chance to see a
prostatectomy, and not just any old school
prostatectomy but a robotic one. Using a
da Vinci robot that costs a
whopping $1.5 million plus all the costs of the
retractors and cutters it uses, the urologists performed this delicate procedure in about 3 hours. As explained to me, the benefits are the greater control of
laparoscopic devices that the robot provides. It makes it easier to sew the sites of incision within the abdomen, and also leaves less bleeding. In addition, the camera of the robot is 3D, which makes it easier to navigate and move the instruments around; the regular laporascopic camera is 2D.
What was interesting was the fact that the procedure wasn't entirely done by the robot, a resident was standing by the incision site and was holding a
laparoscopic retractor to help out with the procedure. It was very cool to watch, but seemed a little excessive.
image: www.marketwire.com
1 comment:
Hello,
I am a robotic urologist with an engineering background (BSE Cooper Union 1993).
You need to watch an open prostatectomy to appreciate the difference.
We have our routine prostatectomy times down to about 60 minutes, much quicker and more precise than can be done open in my opinion.
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