A new national database study shows that the high-tech approach improves oncologic outcomes; this prompted a grand declaration from an expert.
Source: ‘End of Controversy’: Robotic Prostatectomy Is Winner
“Robotic prostatectomy has superior or at least equal oncologic efficacy and complication rates compared to open prostatectomy,” writes Michael O. Koch, MD, from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. “I believe the most current literature supports that view and this debate should finally be put to rest.”
This is Medscape’s summary of an editorial that my mentor at Indiana, wrote comparing open and robotic surgery for prostate cancer. He has performed thousands of operations with both techniques and points out how robotic surgery does cost more, although only about $2000 more at high volume centers.
I first switched to robotic prostatectomy in 2004 and these conclusions were apparent to many surgeons that adopted and became proficient with robotic prostatectomy over a decade ago.