SURGERY
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What is a radical prostatectomy? Surgery for your prostate cancer is called a radical prostatectomy. Prostatectomy means removal of the prostate and radical means it is removed whole along with its adjacent organs, the seminal vesicles. If you imagine the prostate being Mickey Mouse’s head, then the seminal vesicles are his ears. The whole lot is removed, hence the term radical. What are the different types of surgery? Removing the prostate and seminal vesicles (radical prostatectomy) can be done by the surgeon in a number of ways: • Open radical prostatectomy - using his hands only and a cut in the belly • Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy - using keyhole instruments (look like chopsticks with instruments on the ends to cut and grasp, etc) • Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy - using a surgical robot Common Questions
Please note that robot-assisted means that the surgeon is still in control and Can I live without my prostate? moving the robot to do the operation, and the 1. robot is not doing the operation Yes, a man can live without his prostate. on its own. It’s a bit like playing golf with a fancy new driver. It’smay stillbeyou thatfor hits The whole prostate removed cancer or part of it when it is enlarged and the ball 300 yards not the driver itself. causing symptoms.
Which is best - open, laparoscopic, or robot-assisted? 2. What conditions other than cancer can affect the prostate?
That depends on the surgeon. Some surgeons •are very(non-cancerous) skilled in open or laparoscopic Benign enlargement called BPHthose techniques. However, surgeries and can get great outcomes for patients using Prostatitis - infection or inflammation most surgeons are not, and the robot-assisted•technique works best as it helps the of the prostate. surgeon to operate better. The robot gives the surgeon more precision and better 3. Do biological women have a prostate? vision, and if a surgeon can both feel and see better, then this is generally going to No. result in better outcomes for their patients. 4. How big can the prostate get?
But, going back to the golf analogy, if you give me a isfancy I will still hit the There no realdriver, upper limit. • A small sizedaprostate hasclub. a volume ball less far and less straight than if you give Tiger Woods wooden Hence, the optimal situation is to have the best equipmentofin30-40ml the hands of the best expert. • A medium sized prostate has a volume That is, a highly skilled robotic surgeon. of 40-80ml • A large sized prostate has a volume greater than 80ml.
FIGHTING PROSTATE CANCER - A SURVIVAL GUIDE
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