Robotic Cystectomy
Robotic cystectomy is a less-invasive approach to bladder removal for bladder cancer patients offered at UW Health's University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison, Wisconsin. The da Vinci robotic prostatectomy procedure is a new approach to bladder removal that incorporates the latest advancements in robotic-assisted technology.
The Robotic Cystectomy Procedure
With robotic cystectomy, UW Health urologists use a less-invasive approach to bladder removal. Surgeons operate using the da Vinci robot and powerful magnification tools to enhance the surgical field 10 times better than he would with a normal eye.
The cancerous bladder is removed from an incision no larger than the width of a paper clip and the neobladder (a substitute bladder created with the patient's own tissues) is placed through the same incision.
Who should consider robotic cystectomy?
Robotic cystectomy is an option for patients who have not had:
- Extensive abdominal surgery
- Radiation treatment
- Other significant medical issues that might increase their risks
Robotic Cystectomy Advantages
- Less blood loss, scarring and need for transfusions than radical cystectomy
- Smaller surgical incision
- Dramatically reduced chance for impotence