Technologies Tackle Early Stage Prostate Cancer

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/2007/08/23/technologies-tackle-early-stage-prostate-cancer.htm
Article in US News
August 23rd, 2007



As a group we are researching all facets of robotic surgery, both positive and negative aspects of the emerging technology. This article, dated August 23, 2007 on the Health Page of USNews.com, addresses new technologies in treating prostate cancer, one of which, is the da Vinci Surgical System. The da Vinci Surgical System is a $1.5 million robot with 4 arms and a high definition, 3D video camera. Its popularity has doubled in within the past 2 years and currently over 650 hospitals are using the robot to assist in urologic, cardiothoracic, and prostatectomy surgeries. 
The attitude from the article is that robotic surgery is currently just as good as conventional surgeries when it comes to prostate cancers, but has not yet boasted significant additional benefits to prostate cancer patients. The impotence rate and survival rates of prostate cancer patients are the same as standard surgeries. However, according to the author, the da Vinci system has less blood loss during surgery and reduced hospital stays. Maybe for prostate cancer patients this is not huge deal, but surely for cardiac disease patients, this matters a lot more!

I then did a search to see the da Vinci Robot in action. Below I have attached links to a video from the University Of Southern California Keck School Of Medicine, where Vaughn Starnes, MD and Mark Cunningham, MD introduce their use of the da Vinci system in micro valve repair surgery. Sure enough, one of the main attractions to patients with cardiac disease is that robotic surgery circumvents the need for a sternumectomy! On the same website are several other videos with the da Vinci system in various other procedures. Caution, not for the weak stomach! 

The article agrees with what these USC surgeons have to say, which is basically at this point there is no benefit to robotic surgery other than recovery time. However, for cardiothoracic surgeries that could be enough of a reason to choose robotic surgery! However, more research needs to be done to find out what other negative side effects there are to robotic surgery but also, what the ultimate goal with using this technology is. 


Other Links:

Cardiothoracic surgeons at USC introduce the da Vinci Robot for mitral valve repair



Robotic Assisted Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation at USC



A cardiothoracic surgeon speaks of the benefits