By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Roswell Park Cancer Institute has a new way of performing less invasive prostate surgery. Tuesday, the cancer facility introduced new robotic surgical technology.
Thanks to the latest in technology, more and more surgical procedures are becoming less invasive. A new robotic system called the "da Vinci" is in place at Roswell Park for prostate surgery. It's a sophisticated new tool that combines a computerized system, robotic arms and a surgeons skills. Dr. Boris Kuvshinoff is operating room surgical director. He says the new equipment means a small incision and faster recovery.
"Working through these small incisions, we reduce pain, we accelerate patient recovery time and we decrease the disability that is commonly seen after traditional surgery," Kuvshinoff said.
The new surgical technology means a quicker hospital stay, and in some cases, the patient can leave the same day. Dr. James Mohler is chair of Urologic Oncology at Roswell Park. He says about 90 percent of prostate patients are candidates for the robotic surgery.
"The quality of life, urinary control and sexual function are as good as, if not better, than open surgery," Mohler said.
The surgical equipment offers surgeons a three-dimensional view as they operate. Prostate cancer is the second most common in American males. Don Venette who lives outside of Ogdensburg, New York was one of the first patients to undergo the surgery at Roswell this past September. He says he was never apprehensive about the state-of-the-art surgery.
"When I got down here, and the doctor mentioned to me that he could use the robot -- and I'd only have a two day stay -- I thought that's what I want," Venette said.
Venette says he had no complications from the surgery and is so far cancer free. Roswell Park is the first facility in the region to offer the new robotic surgery.