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Prostate Problem Guide
A Revolutionary Prostate Operation
The past few years have seen some remarkable advances in a whole range of medical treatments and one such advance has been the introduction of minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery.
For many patients facing a prostate operation laparoscopic surgery, which involves a shorter stay in hospital and a faster recovery, is being seen as an excellent surgical choice and is certainly viewed by many as being preferably to traditional open surgery. But there is a problem with laparoscopic surgery.
Despite all the technology surrounding laparoscopic surgery it is a little bit like "working in the dark" and there are limitations on the degree to which surgical instruments can be manipulated using this technique. As a result laparoscopic surgery requires considerable training and, while it can be extremely successful in the hands of the right surgeon, without extensive training and practice in this field of surgery the outcome of surgery can often fall far short of the patient's expectation.
ALK PHOS: alkaline phosphatase.
DHEA-S: the sulfated form of DHEA; sulfation is a chemical process that alters the molecule by adding a sulfur-type group; sulfation occurs in the liver; DHEA-S is a more reliable laboratory test than DHEA.
PROSTHESIS: A manufactured device used to replace a normal body part or function.
ULTRASOUND (US): sound waves at a particular frequency (far beyond the hearing range) whose echoes bouncing off tissue can be used to image internal organs (e.g. a baby in the womb).
Today however the introduction of robotic surgery using the newly developed da Vinci system has truly revolutionized the prostate operation. The da Vinci system combines the benefits of both open surgery and laparoscopic surgery and will undoubtedly change the face of surgery over the next few years.
Operated by a team of two surgeons, the da Vinci system uses a state-of-the-art imaging system giving a 3D picture of the area of the prostate operation making it much easier for the surgeons to see exactly what they are doing. A revolutionary set of new instruments operated from a computerized control console also allow the surgeons a full 360 degree range of movement which can be scaled to allow very small and extremely precise movement when required. The system can even be adjusted to compensate for tremor in the surgeon's hand, allowing surgeons with years of experience but failing dexterity to continue to bring their skill and experience to the operating table.
The introduction of the da Vinci robotic system represents a major step in the world of surgery and provides surgeons with the ability to operate more naturally while at the same time retaining the advantages of minimally invasive surgery pioneered with the introduction of laparoscopic techniques.
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