‘Robotic Surgery’ Has the Human Touch

For some patients, the term “robotic surgery” may still bring to mind images more like science fiction than medicine. In reality, it’s become a common practice, with the number of “robotics assisted” surgeries nationwide exceeding 400,000 last year and continuing to increase annually, according to industry statistics.

To put a particular misconception to rest: a robot does not perform the surgery. Rather, the surgeon performs the procedure with miniaturized instruments, guiding the robotic arms using a magnified three-dimensional image of the surgical field. The system replicates the surgeon’s movements in real time.

Robotic surgery provides a high tech treatment alternative for many conditions, including prostate, kidney and bladder cancers as well as pelvic prolapse for women.

• For the patient, the use of robotic technology offers significant advantages, such as:
• Less pain and discomfort, because the process is less invasive and uses smaller incisions;
• Reduced risk of infection and less bleeding, due to the ability to make smaller, more precise incisions;
• Minimal scarring and better cosmetic results, since less damage is done to skin and tissue;
• Faster recovery time and shortened hospital stays, because of the reduced impact on the body, allowing patients to return to normal activities quicker than they would with open surgery.

Among medical specialties, urology embraced the possibilities of robotic surgery very early and as a result, remains on the leading edge of technology. Physicians at The Urology Group have performed thousands of robotic procedures and have developed a reputation as national leaders in the technology.

Robotic surgery will continue to become more prevalent as a treatment option. With the expertise the physicians at The Urology Group have built, patients who need surgery can have confidence that this high tech procedure will feature the human touch.