Robot Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (RARP)

A Less Invasive Surgical Procedure
Surgical removal of the prostate has been a treatment option for patients with prostate-confined cancer for decades. The radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) is an "open" surgical technique requiring a 6-8 inch incision. The recent development of the da Vinci® operating robot has allowed specially-trained surgeons to perform complex operations using less-invasive techniques.

The Robot Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (RARP), also known as a da Vinci® Prostatectomy, incorporates this state-of-the-art surgical robot that helps your urologist see vital anatomical structures more clearly and perform a more precise surgical procedure. Six small skin punctures replace the large incision, leading to less pain and recovery time. This technique allows sparing the nerves for erection and preserving as much of the urethra tube as possible, while removing the entire prostate and seminal vesicles.

Urologists at Chesapeake Urology Associates were the first to perform the RARP in a Maryland community hospital in 2005, and have performed more of these surgeries than any other private urology group in the region. Patients have achieved excellent results with a high level of satisfaction.

Currently, RARP has replaced open surgery as the most commonly performed technique to remove the prostate in the United States. In our experience, RARP offers most patients substantially less pain and a much shorter recovery than traditional prostate surgery, while maintaining at least equivalent cure rates, return of erectile function, and urinary continence. As a minimally invasive procedure, RARP can offer numerous potential benefits over open prostatectomy including:

» Shorter hospital stay
» Less blood loss and less need for blood transfusion
» Less pain
» Less risk of infection
» Less scarring
» Faster recovery
» Quicker return to normal activities