One of the most common treatments for prostate cancer involves the surgical removal of the prostate gland, known as radical prostatectomy. Traditional radical prostatectomy requires an eight- to ten-inch incision. This open surgery commonly results in substantial blood loss, a lengthy and uncomfortable recovery, and the risk of impotence and incontinence.

If your doctor recommends surgery to treat your prostate cancer, you may be a candidate for a new, less invasive surgical procedure called the da Vinci® prostatectomy. This procedure incorporates a technically advanced surgical system that helps your surgeon see vital anatomical structures more clearly and to perform a more precise surgical procedure.

For most patients, the da Vinci prostatectomy offers numerous potential benefits over open prostatectomy including a shorter hospital stay, less pain, less risk of infection, less blood loss and fewer transfusions, less scarring, faster recovery, and quicker return to normal activities.

To learn more about this treatment, call the Sutter Cancer Center toll-free at 1-866-827-6164.

Brian Naftulin, MD, is medical director of Robotic Cancer Surgery at Sutter Cancer Center.

• Dr. Brian Naftulin talks about using da Vinci for prostate cancer treatment.
• Watch video of Dr. Naftulin discussing the daVinci prostatectomy.
• See Dr. Naftulin's surgical stats
• View Dr. Naftulin's lecture dates and locations

In addition to prostate cancer, Sutter Medical Center uses robotic surgery for other procedures including hysterectomies, uterine disease and incontinence treatment.

For more information, see The da Vinci® Surgical System. More information about prostate cancer is available in our Health Information Library. Also see Prostate Seed Therapy for prostate cancer treatment. Additional information is also available from the National Cancer Institute www.cancer.gov and the American Cancer Society www.cancer.org.