Patients Requesting Robotic Surgery

Posted 14 Feb 2010 at 23:12 UTC by Rog-a-matic

Patients needing delicate surgery for prostate cancer treatment are requesting robotic assistance in increasing numbers in spite of unclear advantages and uncertain outcomes. One in six American men develop prostate cancer in their lifetime. Eight years ago, about 5,000 American men had the surgery using a robot, in 2009 that number had jumped to 73,000 - 86% of total surgeries performed. Dr. Cadeddu, a urologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas is hearing patients ask specifically for robotic assistance regularly. It's not clear whether patients are doing in-depth research themselves or are simply being swayed by marketing of the latest technology. While the robotic machinery is pricey and training time-consuming, it's thought by many surgeons and researchers that the results will prove worth it all. It might take more time to tell for certain on this one.