Medicine
Robotic-Assisted Prostatectomy: Oncologic and Functional Outcomes
Quick fact
In robotic-assisted prostatectomy, the robotic system provides 3D magnification and wristed instruments that allow the surgeon to spare the delicate nerve bundles controlling erections and the urethral sphincter controlling urine, making it possible to achieve “trifecta” outcomes—cancer control, continence, and potency—in many patients.
Why this is interesting
When a man is diagnosed with localized prostate cancer, surgery can cure the cancer—but it can also cause lifelong incontinence and erectile dysfunction. How do surgeons decide what to sacrifice?