Hi there! Welcome to my blog. My name is Debbie and I am a housewife from Alice Springs, Australia. I love the life I have here with my wonderful husband and our four kids. It all started about a year ago when I realised that I couldn't read the label on a jar of food I was trying to open. I asked my husband if there was a problem with the way the label had been printed but he said he could read it just fine. He booked me an appointment at Vision2000Kota and they carried out some test to rule out any serious problems. Thankfully, I just needed to start wearing glasses. I hope you enjoy my health and medical blog.
Beat Disease and Keep Fighting Fit
Understanding Prostatectomy – What Are Your Options?
Regina Barnett
Today, there are different types of prostate cancer treatments. However, prostate cancer surgery or prostatectomy is one of the common types of treatment for early-stage cancer. Prostatectomy is essentially the removal of your prostate gland containing the cancerous cells. This procedure can be either open, laparoscopic or robotic. Read on to learn the existing differences and the options you have for treating your prostate cancer.
Open Surgery
It's a conventional type of surgery whereby your surgeon makes an incision in your lower abdomen. After gaining access to your prostate gland, the doctor removes the malignant tumour using standard surgical methods. This particular surgery is often employed in instances where your prostate is significantly enlarged. Furthermore, when cancer has spread to nearby tissues, open surgery may be recommended.
A common drawback with open surgery is damage to the muscles, tissues and nerves when removing the prostate gland. Consequently, this affects areas surrounding the prostate gland, which may impact normal sexual functions. However, as technology advances, modern nerve-sparing techniques have become available to reduce tissue damage.
Laparoscopic Surgery
This type of surgery involves several incisions made in your lower abdomen for easier access of surgical instruments. These long, thin devices are vital in providing lighting and video recording capabilities within the prostate gland region. They are also crucial in offering access to surgical tools necessary for the cancerous tumour removal.
Da Vinci Robotic System
This system offers a modern nerve-sparing technique, and it's becoming increasingly popular. It shares similarities with laparoscopic surgery, but can only be executed successfully by a couple or more skilled surgeons. One surgeon will operate normally besides you while the other handles the computerized console to manipulate the system's robotic arms.
The robotic prostatectomy carries a host of benefits compared to the techniques mentioned above. First, it provides surgeons with the ability to use highly delicate devices. It also allows for accurate control and precise arm movements. Such an explicit degree of handling can cause little or no nerve, muscle or neighbouring tissue damage. When highly-skilled and experienced surgeons conduct this procedure, you can achieve faster recovery compared to other surgical techniques.
These are the three options you have for your prostate cancer surgery. Prostatectomy has one significant advantage, primarily when the cancer is confined within the prostate gland. That is, it's a one-time procedure that can offer a complete remedy of your prostate condition. However, it's imperative to consult your doctors for potential side effects and how to solve them.
Share