What Is a Prostatectomy?
Prostatectomy refers to a group of surgical procedures used to remove part or all of the prostate gland. The prostate is a small gland located in the lower abdomen of men, just below the bladder. It surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder through the penis.
Radical Prostatectomy
A radical prostatectomy involves the removal of the entire prostate gland, along with surrounding lymph nodes, and is most commonly performed to treat localized prostate cancer. Surgeons may use different approaches to perform this procedure:
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Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy:
Several small incisions are made in the lower abdomen. The surgeon operates from a console using robotic instruments, which provide enhanced precision and control by translating the surgeon’s hand movements into highly accurate surgical actions. -
Open Radical Prostatectomy:
The prostate is removed through a single, larger incision in the lower abdomen (retropubic approach). Less commonly, the incision may be made between the anus and scrotum (perineal approach). -
Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy:
Similar to the robotic-assisted approach, this technique uses several small incisions in the lower abdomen. The surgeon inserts a camera and specialized instruments to remove the prostate manually, without robotic assistance.