EXPERTS
Ask the Expert Vijay Ramani Vijay Ramani is a Consultant Urological Surgeon at the Manchester University hospitals, The Christie and Urology Clinics Manchester. He is a key opinion leader in urological oncology, a national and international mentor in robotic surgery and one of few high-volume robotic prostatectomy surgeons in the UK.
In 2008, he pioneered the development of robotic surgery in the North West of England. He has a major interest in diagnostics, including prostate biopsy, lower urinary tract symptoms and haematuria. What are the symptoms of an enlarged prostate? The urinary symptoms from an enlarged prostate can be gradual and creep up on you. They include: a slowing down of your urinary stream; hesitancy (taking longer to start); passing urine frequently during the day and/or night; urgency; incomplete emptying; and, occasionally, passing blood or new onset of pain.
What tests may I need to evaluate my prostate? You will be asked to complete a questionnaire about your urinary symptoms and details of any relevant family history. The specialist will then carry out a clinical examination, including your prostate. You will be advised about whether you require investigations such as blood tests, including PSA, flow rate test and a simple scan to estimate bladder emptying.
What are the options to treat my prostate problem? Seeking specialist advise is often an important first step. Most patients will simply be reassured, whilst some will be monitored or others may be treated with medical therapy. A few may need additional specialist diagnostic testing, including specialised MR scans or a biopsy. It is important to take notes and ask questions during your consultation.
Professor Jari Professor Jari has over 20 years' experience as a consultant knee surgeon. He is considered a specialist in his field and has treated both elite sportspeople and the general public, helping them to regain lost function in their knees due to injury, wear and tear or arthritis.
What is Mako robotic-assisted total knee replacement and how will it help my knee arthritis? Knee arthritis is a common and potentially disabling condition in the general population. There are many potential treatments available, but the final treatment for severe arthritis is a knee replacement. These are very successful operations, but we strive to continually improve the operation and its outcomes. The pinnacle of knee replacement technology currently is robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery.
What are the benefits of Mako technology? Mako technology was designed to help surgeons in their efforts to provide a personalised surgical experience for their patients to improve short-term and longterm outcomes. The system also allows more accurate surgery and is less invasive, which has many advantages, which include: a knee replacement which survives longer; quicker rehabilitation post operatively; potentially quicker return to function and increase in range of knee movement compared to a conventional approach; and finally, to reduce hospital length of stay.
Does a robotic arm perform surgery? When you hear ‘robotic arm-assisted technology’, it’s important to understand that the robotic arm doesn’t actually perform the surgery itself. I do the surgery and the Mako system software helps to pre-plan it. I guide the Mako robotic arm to remove diseased bone and cartilage during the operation and then I will insert the knee replacement.
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