What are the clinical advantages of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy?

Clinical advantages of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: With the development of science and technology, various interventional and minimally invasive treatment methods have brought revolutionary changes to surgical methods. In the United States and Europe, robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery is gradually replacing various traditional surgical methods with its unique advantages and becoming one of the mainstream surgical methods.

As early as 2008, 53% of radical prostatectomies in the United States used robot-assisted technology. In the United Kingdom, 30% of radical prostatectomies were performed with robot-assisted technology by 2012. However, the development of robot-assisted surgery in China started relatively late. Currently, only a few large medical centers have introduced this technology. The Urology Department of Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine will also launch this internationally leading new technology in the second half of this year. Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy has the characteristics of traditional laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and has further advantages.

(1) Short operation time and significantly reduced intraoperative bleeding. The operation time of robot-assisted surgery is similar to that of open surgery, or even shorter. Due to the good ergonomics of this technology, the average intraoperative bleeding can be controlled at around 100 ml, which is significantly lower than traditional open surgery. The incidence of perioperative complications is only half of that of traditional open retropubic prostatectomy, so it is safer.

(2) Faster postoperative recovery and less impact on the patient's quality of life. Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy can further shorten the patient's postoperative recovery time, and the patient has fewer adverse reactions such as postoperative pain, which can better highlight the benefits of minimally invasive technology to patients, and also further improve the utilization efficiency of medical resources. In addition, the patient's postoperative urinary control function recovery time is significantly shorter than that of traditional open surgery. The average postoperative catheterization of patients is 3 to 5 days, and most patients can recover to a satisfactory level of urinary control about 2 months after surgery.

(3) Tumor control is better than traditional surgical methods. The positive margin rate after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy is significantly lower than that of traditional open surgery. In addition, the incidence of postoperative PSA>0.2ng/ml is about half of that of traditional surgery, which also suggests that robot-assisted technology may reduce the possibility of tumor residue. Of course, further follow-up data are still needed to confirm the long-term survival benefits of this treatment method.

(4) Short learning cycle and reduced occupational exposure risk. Unlike traditional laparoscopic surgery, the 3D environment of operating the robot is similar to open surgery, which is different from the "flat feeling" of traditional laparoscopy. Therefore, the learning cycle of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy is significantly shorter than that of traditional laparoscopic technology and is more acceptable to surgeons. Because the surgeon performs the surgery by manipulating the robotic arm and does not have direct contact with the patient, the risk of occupational exposure is reduced.