Counterpoint: robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy: perhaps the surgical gold standard for prostate cancer care.
Robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) has gained immense popularity. This article examines the most critical outcome measures in prostate cancer surgery and shows the reasons why this technique is gaining in popularity. Operative time, length of stay, blood loss, transfusions, postoperative pain, continence, potency, and cancer control all favor or tend toward improvement and benefit in RALP compared with traditional radical retropubic prostatectomy. In addition, as even greater experience and technological improvements are incorporated, further outcome improvements will be appreciated. RALP is now an accepted treatment option for prostate cancer and may soon be the most desirable treatment of prostate cancer patients.
Kawachi
Mark H
MH
Prostate Cancer Center, City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA. MKawachi@coh.org
D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D012371:Robotics