For new viewers considering Surgery

Wheel

This post is currently for all the viewers on the site recently diagnosed and considering Surgery as an option but have not yet had one or two consultation’s with Surgeons. Here is what I gave learned are some important factors to consider in choosing your Surgeon during consultation’s. This being said the technologies and techniques advance quickly in the field. Just because your surgeon is not using the latest DaVinci Robotic model does not change his expertise in the field or his ability in performing an outstanding surgery. Also even if a Surgeon wanted to do a nerve sparring it might not be possible. These are some questions you could bring up in your consultation.

The number of Robotic Laparoscopic Radical prostatectomy’s he performs.

Whether he uses a DaVinci Robotic single port (latest) one incision for entry or makes the 3 to 6 incision entries using DaVinci. There are reasons surgeons prefer one approach over the other and the needs of the patient.

Whether he performs nerve sparring.

Whether during surgery while you are on the table he will send the sliced prostate bed tissue and lymph nodes immediately to Pathology for inking and staining to rule out whether the cancer has left the capsule even if the PET says it had not entered the bed or lymph nodes and is localized to the capsule. Then if pathology reports positive margin in the bed the Surgeon can go back in deeper while your are on the table to try to eliminate the positive margin.

Whether he leaves intact and does not cut the puboprostatic ligament to maintain urethral length which improves the likelihood of minimal post leaking by allowing more control in the release of urine and maintains the urethra more in its position.

Clevelandguy

Hi,
Good questions to ask you surgeon, asking for past surgical patient references and doctor on line rating is not a bad idea also. Most hospital networks have doctor ratings online.

Dave 3+4