When medication and other non-surgical treatments are unavailable or cannot relieve symptoms, surgery is the recommended treatment for many conditions that affect the male reproductive organs and urinary tract organs. These conditions include, among other things, prostate cancer, ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction, bladder and kidney cancer and vesicoureteral reflux.

Fortunately, less invasive surgical options are available to many people facing urologic surgery. The most common is laparoscopy, which uses small incisions. Laparoscopy can be very effective for many routine procedures, but limitations of this technology prevent its use for more complex urologic surgeries.

A new category of surgery, the da Vinci® Surgical System, is being used by an increasing number of surgeons worldwide for prostatectomy and other urologic procedures. It is a minimally invasive approach, using the latest in surgical and robotics technologies and is ideal for delicate urologic surgery. This includes prostatectomy, where the target site is not only tightly confined but also surrounded by nerves affecting urinary control and sexual function. Using da Vinci, your surgeon has a better tool to spare those delicate and critical surrounding nerves.

As with any surgery, these benefits cannot be guaranteed, as surgery is unique to each patient and procedure. The da Vinci Surgical System is considered safe and effective, but may not be appropriate for everyone. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as the benefits and risks.