Studies have found men who undergo the procedure recover three to six months faster.
His surgeon, Dr. Paul Smith of Memorial Hermann, suggested a different approach. Smith recognized that Sterling was a candidate for a Retzius-sparing prostatectomy, a robotic-assisted procedure that is not as widely practiced as a conventional prostatectomy. Studies have found men who undergo the procedure recover continence three to six months faster.
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among American men, aside from skin cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates there will be more than 268,000 new cases diagnosed in 2022, and an estimated 34,500 men will die of the disease this year as well. Urologists and radiation oncologists have focused for years on finding less-invasive ways to treat prostate cancer, due to the side effects men can experience after surgery. Retzius-sparing prostatectomies accomplish that goal, Smith said.Retzius-sparing prostatectomies were not possible before advancements in robotic surgery, Smith said. Surgeons in Italy said in the journal European Urology that theyDespite its clear advantages, uptake has been slow among surgeons, said Dr.
But Smith and Davis said it’s also less popular because most surgeons just haven’t been trained to perform a Retzius-sparing prostatectomy. Each of them took it upon themselves to learn after they were already in practice, believing it could benefit patients. Most surgeons are more comfortable performing a conventional prostatectomy, though, and are reluctant to switch to a new method.
In a Retzius-sparking prostatectomy, the surgeon approaches the prostate from below, through the space between the bladder and rectum. That helps to preserve tissue around the prostate and improves continence after the procedure, Davis said.