Robotic surgery is playing an increasingly important role in urological surgery. Rather than robotic surgery, it would be more appropriate to use the term “robotic-assisted surgery” given that the robot is a tool in the hands of the surgeon, who remains the operator of the surgery. The robot is made up of 3 parts: a patient cart consisting of 4 robotic arms that are placed in close proximity to the patient, a console with a high-definition 3D viewer from which the surgeon, seated, directs the movements of the robotic arms and a screen for the assistant assisting the procedure.
One of the advantages of the robot is that it performs the surgery with very small incisions, usually less than a centimeter: this reduces the patient’s post-operative pain and accelerates recovery. Through these small incisions, the robot’s arms allow the surgeon to operate without tremor and with a greater freedom of rotation and articulation movements than those of the human wrist. This allows for extremely precise dissection movements, reducing bleeding, helping to remove pathological tissue, and preserving healthy tissue. This feature can contribute to excellent functional results.
The surgeon, from the console, can operate seated, reducing physical and therefore mental fatigue.
Therefore, we could summarize that the advantages provided by the robot are:
- Extreme precision in movements
- Magnified, three-dimensional, high-definition vision for the surgeon
- Reduced post-operative bleeding and pain
- Rapid functional recovery after surgery
- Increased ergonomics for the surgeon
Robotic-assisted surgery can treat both oncological and non-oncological pathology.
Listed below are some of the major surgeries that can be performed using
The robot and the advantages provided by the robot applied to the different techniques:
RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY: Removal of the tumor-affected prostate. The robot helps us reduce the rate of post-operative urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction as it allows the meticulous preservation of vascular and nerve structures.
RADICAL CYSTECTOMY: Removal of the bladder and, in selected cases, reconstruction of the bladder with a portion of bowel. The robot’s precision helps reduce urinary and bowel complications.
RADICAL NEPHRECTOMY: Removal of the kidney affected by the tumor. The robot increases the accuracy of the dissection of vascular structures.
PARTIAL NEPHRECTOMY: consists of eradicating only the renal tumor while preserving healthy renal tissue. Through the robot, we will be able to separate the tumour more accurately and quickly, reducing the impact on the patient’s kidney function.
COLPOSACROPEXY: surgery for the treatment of uro-genital prolapse. The robot allows the surgeon to identify, manipulate and fix tissues more safely and accurately.
Dr. FRANCESCO PELLEGRINELLI
Num.:51858
