Introduction
About this video:
The basics of robotic radical prostatectomy; what the equipment does and how the procedure is carried out by fully-trained laparoscopic surgeons
About The Prostate
About this video:
A summary of what the prostate does and where it lies with special reference to the important anatomical structures close to the prostate (e.g. the urinary sphincter and the nerves which produce erections)
What Happens Next?
About this video:
How decisions are made about your treatment from initial diagnosis to multidisciplinary discussion of your scan and other investigations before a final decision is made about treatment
What Can You Do For Yourself
About this video:
Some simple measures which will prepare you for surgery and allow you to obtain optimum results (e.g. losing weight, stopping smoking and leading a healthy lifestyle)
Just Before The Operation
About this video:
What to expect in advance of your surgery and what measures will be instituted when you arrive in hospital for your operation
Pelvic lymph node sampling
About this video:
Laparoscopic, sampling of the pelvic (obturator) lymph nodes to determine whether there has been spread of the tumour, prior to removal of the prostate gland for cancer.
Re-joining the urethra to the bladder
About this video:
Robot-assisted surgery allows accurate placement of sutures to join the bladder back to the urethra after removal of the prostate. A catheter (visible at times in the video) is inserted across the join when it is complete.
After The Operation
About this video:
What to expect in hospital once the operation has been performed, including advice on the early days after discharge from hospital
Returning Home
About this video:
Advice on what to expect when you get home, recovery time and important instructions on what you can and should not do in the post-operative period
Finding Out About The Results Of Surgery
About this video:
The prostate will be examined carefully by pathologists and the results will then be collated by the multidisciplinary team who will contact you to let you know the results
Follow-Up Visits
About this video:
We have a specific protocol for how patients are followed up and what tests are done at each visit; this allows careful audit of our results and allows us to refine our surgical techniques if necessary
What Happens If I Need More Treatment?
About this video:
Some patients may need further treatment after surgery (e.g. radiotherapy) if all the disease has not been removed or if there are signs of tumour recurrence at a later stage
