By Andy Choi
Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital's Vattikuti Urology Institute (VUI) compared the results of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) against the standard surgical procedure, open radical prostatectomy (ORP), in a nationwide population sample, for the first time.
Out of 20% sample of the U.S, the research represents that more RARPs were conducted at teaching institutions in urban locations, and RARPs in high-volume hospitals, were performed at a higher rate; among a total of 19,278 patients, 11,889 experienced RARP and 7,389 had ORP in 647 medical institutions from Oct 2008 to Dec 2009; ORP patients have prolonged hospital stay, need blood transfusion, and show post-surgical complications than RARP patients.
Unlike ORP, where the lower abdomen is cut open to remove the diseased prostate gland and the surrounding tissue to prevent the spread f disease, the RARP is a minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery performed through small incisions.
Recent studies confirmed Henry Ford analysis that RARP has become a general process for treating localized prostate cancer in the U.S.
Prostate cancer is ‘solid organ’, death-causing malignancy. Radical prostatectomy proves to be a standard treatment due to its higher survival rates and excellent results.
According to a study released in European Urology in Feb 2011, Henry Ford epidemiologists and urologists resolved that RARP ensures prolonged safety with 10% less complication. About 87 % of RARP post- surgery patients witnessed that even after 5 years there was no recurrence of disease.
Radical prostatectomy is better conducted at teaching hospitals than at non-academic medical institutions.
The significant differences between RARP and ORP patients include fewer additional diseases or disorders; includes mostly white patients; and surgery preferred more at urban academic centers.
Source: http://www.henryford.com/