Commonly, patients with prostate cancer have two options to treat the condition: radiation therapy and robotic surgery. Robotic surgery for localized prostate cancer offers a significantly higher survival rate than either external-beam radiation or hormonal therapies, according to a study. Prostate surgery can be done in a number of different ways, but over the past 10 years, ‘robotic’ prostatectomy has become the most common approach and is now used for more than 80 percent of prostate removals in the U.S. This procedure uses a mechanical arm and magnification system that is operated by the surgeon from a control panel set up in the operating room. This system allows the surgeon to have a better view of the prostate gland and surrounding structures and to remove the diseased gland; this is designed to decrease chances of causing harm to the adjacent normal tissues and organs.
The differences among therapies were more prominent at higher levels of cancer risk, and suggest, the researchers say, that in many cases surgery should play a greater role in treatment strategies for patients with prostate cancer that is likely to recur or spread.
Based on a patient’s goals, disease state, and health an appropriate treatment plan would be made. However, over the past decade the market place has become flooded with new technologies. Furthermore, patients are relying less on their physician to make the decision for them and are taking an active role. As newer therapies are introduced, patients are not always equipped to entangle marketing from medical facts.
There has been a great deal of controversy within the medical profession concerning the reliability, cost effectiveness and relevance of robotic surgery. To some medical professionals, it represents nothing more than the “Emperor’s new clothes” syndrome taken to extreme lengths. Or to put it more bluntly, the critics say that progress is made simply for the sake of making progress and that something new is automatically associated as being better.
Others argue that the usage of robotic surgery may still have some teething problems that need to be resolved but ultimately, the technology has a lot of potential and which could radically improve the efficiency and productivity of the profession as a whole.
In fact, the manufacturer of da Vinci surgical robot, Intuitive Surgical, has updated their financial disclosure for 2013. According to the report, the sales of surgical robots have decline while the use of robotic surgery had increased. The company is also faced with lawsuits filed by injured patients.
References:
The differences among therapies were more prominent at higher levels of cancer risk, and suggest, the researchers say, that in many cases surgery should play a greater role in treatment strategies for patients with prostate cancer that is likely to recur or spread.
Based on a patient’s goals, disease state, and health an appropriate treatment plan would be made. However, over the past decade the market place has become flooded with new technologies. Furthermore, patients are relying less on their physician to make the decision for them and are taking an active role. As newer therapies are introduced, patients are not always equipped to entangle marketing from medical facts.
There has been a great deal of controversy within the medical profession concerning the reliability, cost effectiveness and relevance of robotic surgery. To some medical professionals, it represents nothing more than the “Emperor’s new clothes” syndrome taken to extreme lengths. Or to put it more bluntly, the critics say that progress is made simply for the sake of making progress and that something new is automatically associated as being better.
Others argue that the usage of robotic surgery may still have some teething problems that need to be resolved but ultimately, the technology has a lot of potential and which could radically improve the efficiency and productivity of the profession as a whole.
In fact, the manufacturer of da Vinci surgical robot, Intuitive Surgical, has updated their financial disclosure for 2013. According to the report, the sales of surgical robots have decline while the use of robotic surgery had increased. The company is also faced with lawsuits filed by injured patients.
References:
- futuretechnology500.com/index.php/future-medical-technology/robotic-surgery-advantages-and-disadvantages/
- sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100806125518.htm
- socalurologyinstitute.com/blog/Prostate-Cancer-Awareness-Understanding-Treatment-Options.html
- jewishvoiceny.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6366:robotic-surgery-proven-to-be-the-best-choice-over-radiation-therapy&catid=104:health&Itemid=287
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