Rachel Hastings
University of Pennsylvania, California University of Pennsylvania
Papers
3
Total Citations
109
H-Index
3
About
Dr. Rachel Hastings is a pioneering urologic surgeon and researcher whose work centers on refining robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) to improve patient safety and functional outcomes. Her most influential contributions address two critical challenges in prostate cancer surgery: complication management and post-operative urinary continence. Her landmark study on rectal injury during RARP (67 citations) established the first comprehensive framework for recognizing and managing this rare but serious complication, revealing that its incidence is likely underreported due to limitations in existing classification systems. Dr. Hastings also introduced the bladder neck plication stitch technique (31 citations), a novel surgical modification that significantly accelerates continence recovery—a breakthrough that has been adopted by multiple surgical centers. Her research further demonstrated that surgeon intuition alone is an unreliable predictor of peri-operative outcomes (11 citations), advocating for data-driven approaches to surgical quality assessment. Through these contributions, Dr. Hastings has not only advanced the technical precision of robotic prostatectomy but has also championed evidence-based improvements that directly enhance patients' quality of life after cancer treatment.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2
- 3