Surgeons at Albert Einstein Medical Center Advance Their Mission of Offering the Latest Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures
Prostate gland can be removed using a minimally invasive technique
Philadelphia, PA, February 21, 2007 -- In keeping their commitment to offer patients less invasive options for surgery, physicians at Albert Einstein Medical
Center now offer men who are having their prostate removed, the option of having it done as a minimally invasive surgery with
a laparoscope. This operation, called radical laparoscopic prostatectomy, is performed to remove prostate cancer, and is only
recommended if testing shows that the cancer is localized to the prostate and has not spread beyond it.
“There are many benefits to doing this procedure with a laparoscope, including less blood loss during the operation, a shorter
hospital stay and a quicker recovery,” says Jamison Jaffe, DO, a urologist who performs the surgery at Einstein Medical Center.
With laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, the surgeon makes five tiny incisions in the belly and inserts a lighted viewing
instrument called a laparoscope into one of the incisions. Special instruments are then used to reach and remove the prostate
through the other incisions.
“When our patients are diagnosed with prostate cancer they’re offered several treatment options, including surgery, radiation
therapy or cryoablation (freezing the cancer cells to destroy them),” adds Jaffe. “We’re happy to be able to now offer the
laparoscopic radical prostatectomy as one of our treatment choices.”
Traditional surgery, called open surgery, requires a large incision to be made to reach the prostate gland. Depending on the
case, the incision is made in the lower belly which is the most common method, or in the groin. Patients typically stay in
the hospital three to four days following the traditional open operation, compared to one to two days with the laparoscopic
procedure. A thin flexible tube called a catheter is usually left in the bladder to drain urine for two to three weeks. With
the laparoscopic technique, the catheter stays in just seven to ten days.
Preventive Check-Ups
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, and it usually occurs in men age 65 or older. In most instances, it is slow-growing
so most men will die with prostate cancer, not of prostate cancer. Regular check-ups for prostate cancer are crucial since
there are no symptoms in the early stages. A check-up includes a PSA test to measure the amount of prostate-specific antigen
in the blood, and a digital rectal exam.
According to the American Cancer Society, both the PSA blood test and digital rectal examination should be offered each year
starting at age 50. Men at high risk, including African-American men and those with a strong family history (e.g., father
or brother diagnosed before age 65), should begin annual testing at age 45.
Urology at Einstein Medical Center
The urologists at Albert Einstein Medical Center have tremendous experience diagnosing and treating urinary tract disorders
in men and women, including urinary incontinence, kidney stones, interstitial cystitis, prostate disease, and prostate, kidney
and bladder cancer. A variety of minimally invasive procedures are offered, including cryosurgery to freeze and destroy cancerous
cells in the kidneys and prostate; laparoscopic cystectomy for bladder cancer (removal of the bladder using a laparoscope),
and laparoscopic partial and radical nephrectomy for kidney disease (removal of part or all of a kidney using a laparoscope).
About Albert Einstein Healthcare Network
Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, a member of the Jefferson Health System, provides healthcare services through Albert Einstein
Medical Center, Germantown Community Health Services, Willow Terrace (a nursing home), Einstein at Elkins Park, MossRehab,
Willowcrest (a center for subacute care), Belmont Behavioral Health and a number of outpatient and satellite locations. Einstein
also operates a primary care network, Einstein Neighborhood Healthcare. For more information call 1-800-EINSTEIN.
CONTACT: Judy Horwitz
Communications Specialist
Albert Einstein Healthcare Network
215-456-6767 horwitzj@einstein.edu
Publish date: February 21, 2007
