The Robotic Surgeon Blog

  • Waiting Time From Initial Urological Consultation to Nephrectomy for Renal Cell Carcinoma-Does it Affect Survival?

    From UroToday Surgical waiting time from initial urological consultation to operative intervention does not adversely affect the outcome of renal cell carcinoma within the time frames analyzed in this study, in which 94% of cases occurred within 3 months. Individual urologist judgment remains a critical factor in the appropriate and timely care of the patient…

  • Biomarker predicts malignancy potential of prostate lesions –

    From Urology Times Spanish researchers have found a means of distinguishing between high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) lesions destined to become cancerous and those that will remain benign, which may spare patients the discomfort and inconvenience of unnecessary needle biopsies, according to a study in Clinical Cancer Research (2008; 14:2617-22). This is the first studay…

  • Robotic Renal Symposium

    First Annual Worldwide Robotic Renal Symposium I had the honor of being selected on the faculty for the 1st robotic conference dedicated to kidney surgery. This should be an excellent conference for urologists who are performing robotic surgery for prostate cancer and would like to learn about current techniques for kidney surgery including partial nephrectomy.…

  • A Step Backward: The ACPM Recommendations on Prostate Cancer Screening

    Medscape article summarizing PSA recommendations: The most aggressive screening protocol is from the NCCN. NCCN guidelines start from the premise that the patient has made a decision to seek early prostate cancer detection. They recommend beginning screening at age 40. The baseline PSA level, race, and family history are then used to determine the subsequent…

  • The price of defensive medicine

    New Study Compares Tort Systems — Reform Improves Health Care for Patients A new study by the Pacific Research Institute, US Tort Liability Index: 2008 Report, measures the best and worst tort systems in America. In the report, the authors examine evidence provided by top economists and legal scholars on the benefits of tort reform…

  • Long-Term Functional and Oncological Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Sural Nerve Interposition Grafting during dvP

    From UroToday: Despite optimism regarding SNG, long-term functional outcomes have been disappointing, particularly for BL nerve interposition. UL-SNG functional outcomes do not appear to improve outcomes when compared with men with UL nerve preservation. With the greater risk of PSM and BCR in patients who are considered candidates for SNG, newer treatment modalities are needed…

  • Upgrading after radical prostatectomy

    UroToday – Prostate Cancer Volume at Biopsy Predicts Clinically Significant Upgrading – Abstract Preoperative prostate specific antigen greater than 5.0 ng/ml (p = 0.036), prostate weight 60 gm or less (p = 0.004) and more cancer volume at biopsy, defined by cancer involving greater than 5% of the biopsy tissue (p = 0.002), greater than…

  • Positive margins and their significance

    UroToday – Prognostic Significance of Location of Positive Margins in Radical Prostatectomy Specimens In the 201 men with a single positive SM, it was found in the apex in 75 men (37%), posterolateral in 70 men (35%), bladder neck in 20 men (10%), anterior in 25 men (12%), posterior in 11 men (5%), and in…

  • IMRT external beam radiation review

    UroToday – Current Status of Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) In the International Journal of Clinical Oncology, Dr. Hatano and colleagues from Chiba, Japan provide an excellent overview of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Problems with conventional, four field radiotherapy have been ineffective dose distribution and overdoses to organs at risk (OARs), such as the bladder and…