Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy - functional result. Part II

Abstract

Robot-assisted surgery is one of the most important achievements of modern medicine. Robot-assisted operations widely used in urology, gynecology, general and cardiovascular surgery are considered by many experts as a new 'gold standard' of surgical treatment of various diseases in developed countries. Well-known advantages of robot-assisted surgery are low invasiveness, 3D-visualization of surgical field, high accuracy of instrument movements resulting minimal intraoperative blood loss, short hospital-stay, rapid recovery and short social maladjustment of operated patients. Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy in patients with prostate cancer is the most common robotic procedure worldwide. Better functional outcomes are due to another (new) understanding of pelvic surgical anatomy, changed approach to dissection and preservation of external urethral sphincter and neurovascular bundles. Prostate neuroanatomy, various variants of preservation of neurovascular bundles are reviewed in the article. Moreover, own experience of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy followed by favorable functional results is presented.