Expert Prostate Cancer Surgery

Advanced and minimally invasive surgery options

Surgery for prostate cancer requires highly skilled surgeons. Our surgeons are pioneers in innovative and minimally invasive surgical techniques, including a procedure that improves the return of sexual function and bladder control after surgery.

We are the first in Michigan to offer the da Vinci SP® robotic surgery system, which helps surgeons perform delicate surgery in small spaces, for certain patients with prostate cancer. Because the SP system allows all the robotic instruments and camera to work through one small incision, many patients will experience less pain and may be able to be discharged the same day as the surgery.

Types of prostate cancer surgery

The type of prostate cancer surgery that is right for you will depend on your unique needs and goals. At Henry Ford, we use the most advanced techniques, approaches and technologies available. With our minimally invasive robotic surgery techniques, our patients experience faster recovery times, and less discomfort, blood loss and scarring. 

Robotic radical prostatectomy: This surgical technique involves your doctor using a robot-assisted surgical system. The system provides a three-dimensional view of the surgical area and increases your doctor’s precision and control.  

Precision prostatectomy: This is a novel, organ-preserving robotic surgery technique developed by Henry Ford that has been shown to improve return of sexual function and bladder control after surgery. This technique can now be performed as a single-port (SP) robotic procedure (where all robotic instruments and camera work through one small incision) so many patients will experience less pain and may be able to be discharged the same day as the surgery, versus staying overnight at the hospital.

Why should I trust Henry Ford for my robotic prostatectomy?

At Henry Ford, we are leaders in the field of minimally invasive prostate cancer surgery, offering our patients:

• A team with unmatched experience: Our surgeons are pioneers in innovative and minimally invasive techniques for treating prostate cancer, and have performed more than 16,000 robotic prostatectomies.
• Preserved sexual function: Our doctors developed the Precision Prostatectomy, a technique that has been demonstrated to improve the return of sexual function after surgery.
• Fewer problems with urinary incontinence: In a study of more than 2,700 of our patients who had a robotic prostatectomy, 93 percent reported continence within three weeks, and more than 95 percent were continent one year after surgery.

How does robotic prostatectomy work?

A robotic prostatectomy uses a robot-assisted surgical system controlled by your surgeon. Using the robotic system gives your surgeon added control and precision, and a three-dimensional view of the surgical area during the procedure. Here’s what to expect:

• The surgery takes about two hours to complete.
• You’ll be asleep during the procedure.
• Your doctor will use small, robot-assisted instruments and a high-definition three-dimensional camera to perform the procedure.
• Your doctor will remove your prostate, nearby lymph nodes, the seminal vesicles (the glands that make the fluid that mixes with sperm to form semen), and adjacent tissue during the surgery

What are the benefits of robotic prostatectomy?

As a minimally invasive treatment option, there are several benefits of robotic prostatectomy for prostate cancer treatment, including:

• Better cancer treatment
• Faster return to normal activities
• Fewer complications after surgery
• Less blood loss
• Less scarring
• A shorter hospital stay