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I received a card from a local hospital extolling the virtues of robotic surgery and how they do a lot it and how great it is and come on down and have it done here, and blah, blah, blah...

Perhaps, the idea of robotic surgery is supposed to instill confidence in the patient.

I must be one of those rarities who think the idea scary and hardly reassuring at all.

That said, if you've had robotic surgery of some sort, please, tell us about it.

Was it a good experience or ...?

Thanks.

I have worked on robots, I'll pass on them working on me.

With the right surgeon, for the right procedure, with the right operating crew it beats an open procedure every time. If any of those criteria are not met than forget it. The trick of course is to find out which facility can meet those criteria. If I ever need a radical prostate it will be done with the aid of the robot.

Rotor,

Such surgeries generally leave the patient permanently incontinent and impotent.

However, I've read that certain "super surgeons" (neuro surgeons perhaps and not urological surgeons...?) can do the surgery avoiding the post surgical horrors I itemized above. There was no mention in what I read regarding the use of robotics for the successful outcome.

Would you know if the successful surgeries (no post surgical incontinence/impotence) have come about due to the aid of surgical robotics and not because the surgeons were "super surgeons"?

Radical prostatectomy can either be done as an open procedure or as a less invasive robotic procedure. If it were me, I would go with the small scars and out patient surgery. There is always a risk of some incontinence with any of these procedures. I don't think the risk is lower with an open procedure. I have never heard of a neurosurgeon doing a prostatectomy. I have talked to some of my ENT friends that now say they are doing some oral cancers that they would never have touched before the robot (and now are getting better results) and would have just referred to radiation or chemo . I know they are doing some cardiac bypass grafts using the robot. It is possible for a very experienced surgeon to be in Dallas supervising a less experienced surgeon for example in Alaska doing a case similtaneously. The potential is huge. Some cases just don't need the assistance of the robot. It is a very expensive toy. For those select cases though where it really makes a difference I want an experienced robotic surgeon, an experienced OR crew (essential), and an insurance company that won't deny payment.

I was diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma in 2010 and underwent robotic surgery to attempt a partial nephrectomy with the possibility is a full nephecromy due to the location of the cancer. The surgeon who performed the operation was highly recommended by my oncologist and my urolgolist, and he instilled confidence when I met him in person, youngish, self assured, and a told me how it works, risks, and possible outcomes. Turns out he did have to talk my entire right kidney but with the less invasive method of surgery my recovery was easier (not without pain, mind you) and faster. I have five small scars and one larger one he had to make to pull a kidney through, but it was all superglued together and healed great.

I would undergo robotic surgery again if needed. I was wary going in but the doctor put me at ease and all in all it wasn't bad. I would recommend talking with the actual doctor about it and being comfortable with the situation before jumping in. Make sure you know the risks and rewards, they differ between types of surgeries. Good luck and God bless.

I had a "vertical gastric sleeve" procedure done about a year ago using a Da Vinci robotic system. Had it been done using conventional surgery, I'd have had to spend two painful weeks in ICU after surgery, along with a very long home recovery process. Instead, I was out of the hospital in just over 24 hours and was back to almost a "normal" recovery in just over a week. Totally worth it.

I'm delighted to read the various responses.

Thanks all for the input.

I've had a number of surgeries (knee, shoulder, back, and others...) and with my track record robotic surgery may be in my future.

I don't remember exactly, but after my kidney removal I believe I was in ICU surgical recovery one night, in a normal recovery room until my bodily functions were functioning again (maybe three days,) and laid up at home for three or four weeks before returning to work. I had just enough vacation and sick time to cover the time off - so that really helped. With conventional surgery the recovery time is about eight weeks which would have required me to take FMLA leave. Also instead of several small scars (really just five puncture wounds and one three inches long incision) conventional surgery would have been one incision from front to back about 16 inches long - my wife had conventional surgery on a ureter in 1994, so I am familiar with it.

On every point the pros outweighed the cons for me except price. Robotic surgery did cost more than conventional would have but with insurance the price to me was worth it.

rotor wrote:Radical prostatectomy can either be done as an open procedure or as a less invasive robotic procedure. If it were me, I would go with the small scars and out patient surgery. There is always a risk of some incontinence with any of these procedures. I don't think the risk is lower with an open procedure. I have never heard of a neurosurgeon doing a prostatectomy. I have talked to some of my ENT friends that now say they are doing some oral cancers that they would never have touched before the robot (and now are getting better results) and would have just referred to radiation or chemo . I know they are doing some cardiac bypass grafts using the robot. It is possible for a very experienced surgeon to be in Dallas supervising a less experienced surgeon for example in Alaska doing a case similtaneously. The potential is huge. Some cases just don't need the assistance of the robot. It is a very expensive toy. For those select cases though where it really makes a difference I want an experienced robotic surgeon, an experienced OR crew (essential), and an insurance company that won't deny payment.

rotor wrote:With the right surgeon, for the right procedure, with the right operating crew it beats an open procedure every time. If any of those criteria are not met than forget it. The trick of course is to find out which facility can meet those criteria. If I ever need a radical prostate it will be done with the aid of the robot.

I have a benign prostatic tumor which gives me problems. My urologist is a typical early adopter of new technologies. At my last visit to him, I asked, why can't I just have this thing cut out and be done with it using robotic surgery? His answer is that, even with robotic surgery, the location of the tumor on the anterior aspect of the prostate would mean almost certain loss of continence and "function".

Robotic surgery can be a great thing. Look Ma! No shaky hands! But it isn't the answer to ALL surgical questions. I've elected to continue treating my condition medically rather than surgically.

TAM, my reference was to Radical Prostatectomy for cancer, not benign disease. I too take meds for benign prostate disease. They say if you are a male and you live long enough you will die of prostate cancer. How comforting is that.

i had a pancreatic pseudo cyst removed and it went very well. i had a heck of a surgeon and many prayers. recovery was almost 3 days before going home but would've been much longer otherwise. i guess it depends on what the surgery is and who is playing the video game....

GlockDude26,

Your surgery was robotic?

Not trying to be a smart-aleck, but you're post doesn't come right out and say so...

The thing I've yet to see addressed is what percentage of the surgery being performed robotically is, if I may generalize, 10% / 20% / 90% or...? Does a surgeon do the initial cut and then let the robot take over or how does this work...?

Also, I've yet to read anything negative about robotic surgery.

Have there been instances of things going horrifically wrong with this type surgery or is it so rare as to be negligible?

Abraham wrote:GlockDude26,

Your surgery was robotic?

Not trying to be a smart-aleck, but you're post doesn't come right out and say so...

The thing I've yet to see addressed is what percentage of the surgery being performed robotically is, if I may generalize, 10% / 20% / 90% or...? Does a surgeon do the initial cut and then let the robot take over or how does this work...?

Also, I've yet to read anything negative about robotic surgery.

Have there been instances of things going horrifically wrong with this type surgery or is it so rare as to be negligible?

The surgeon places instruments into the body cavity via small incisions and also a video camera. He then sits at a 3d module and manipulates those instruments with both hands while watching in 3d. There are many videos on youtube demonstrating this. The robot does not do the surgery. The surgeon manipulates the robot. How well the operation goes depends upon the skill of the surgeon and the crew, not the robot. As in any surgery things can go wrong but in most cases if things go wrong you are back to having it done the old fashioned way. Please get it out of your head that a robot is doing the surgery. This is robotic assisted surgery done by a surgeon. Pick one that has lots of experience.

rotor wrote:Radical prostatectomy can either be done as an open procedure or as a less invasive robotic procedure. If it were me, I would go with the small scars and out patient surgery. There is always a risk of some incontinence with any of these procedures. I don't think the risk is lower with an open procedure. I have never heard of a neurosurgeon doing a prostatectomy. I have talked to some of my ENT friends that now say they are doing some oral cancers that they would never have touched before the robot (and now are getting better results) and would have just referred to radiation or chemo . I know they are doing some cardiac bypass grafts using the robot. It is possible for a very experienced surgeon to be in Dallas supervising a less experienced surgeon for example in Alaska doing a case similtaneously. The potential is huge. Some cases just don't need the assistance of the robot. It is a very expensive toy. For those select cases though where it really makes a difference I want an experienced robotic surgeon, an experienced OR crew (essential), and an insurance company that won't deny payment.

When my husband had prostate cancer last spring he had to have a radical prostatectomy, yes rather odd for a 54 year old, but it's life. We went to MDA and had the robotic procedure. the "trick" if you will is to find a surgeon with lots of surgeries, his surgeon had over 1000.