"Surgical removal of the prostate can either be done with an open incision, as has been traditionally been done, or with a robotic approach." Dr. Tewari and Dr, Schlegel, of the Dept. of Urology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, present the two main types of prostate cancer surgery, as well as explaining the advantages/disadvantages of each.

Dr. Schlegel



Surgical removal of the prostate can either be done with an open incision, as has traditionally been done, or with a robotic approach.



Dr. Tewari



Bleeding is about 1/10 with robotics, the same where a liter of blood versus just a couple of tablespoons of blood, that allows me to see things in more detail. In one school you are farther away from the patient, but in reality, I feel as if I am immersed in his body, looking at the little corners which only I can.



Dr. Schlegel



There are advantages theoretically, in terms of doing robotic surgery, in that you have magnification during the operation and less bleeding and there are also advantages to open surgery in that there's a longer track record in terms of results of knowing what will occur. But it seems at this point, outcomes in terms of ability to remove a cancer, recovery of sexual function, recovery of urinary function, are very similar.