MY RELATIONSHIP TO DA VINCI SURGERY: Patient

MY CONDITION: Prostate Cancer

TYPE OF PROCEDURE I HAD: da Vinci Radical prostatectomy

DATE OF PROCEDURE: Jun 1, 2008

MY SURGEON: Dr. David B Samadi

HOSPITAL WHERE MY PROCEDURE WAS PERFORMED: Mount Sinai Medical Center

OTHER TREATMENTS I CONSIDERED BEFORE DA VINCI SURGERY:
Radiation

THE BIGGEST CONCERNS I HAD ABOUT TREATMENT:
If you've got a cancer, and it's the kind of cancer they can take out, throw it out---let them do that, rather than treat it and keep it in.

WHY I CHOSE DA VINCI SURGERY:
The research I did on the da Vinci procedure was that it offered the most exact---technically exact---procedure that they can have where they get close to the nerves and get the diseased tissue out without causing permanent damage to me in other areas.

HOW LONG I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL:
I stayed overnight in the hospital.

MY PAIN AND/OR DISCOMFORT LEVEL:
I really felt no pain or discomfort. I didn't even need a painkiller; they just gave me Tylenol.

ABOUT MY RECOVERY TIME:
I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. I was back to being as active as I wanted to be. I didn't want to push things, obviously. I was told not to run, because it is a surgery, but I was pretty much back to normal. Within two weeks, I was back to work.

WHEN I RETURNED TO NORMAL ACTIVITIES:
The next day, I was discharged from the hospital. I had a catheter that was removed after 5 days, and I was basically back to walking within a week---a mile, two miles.

ABOUT MY SURGEON AND/OR FACILITY STAFF:
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I chose the da Vinci Prostatectomy, because the research I did--after I was diagnosed with prostate cancer---about the various alternatives for treatment. First off, I wanted a treatment that would basically eliminate the cancer, I wanted the cancer gone. And most importantly, also, another thing that was highly important to me was the after-effects of any prostate cancer treatment, whether it be radiation or surgery.
And the research I did on the da Vinci procedure was that it offered the most exact--technically exact---procedure that they can have where they get close to the nerves and get the diseased tissue out without causing permanent damage to me in other areas. And I ---not settled on, but I chose----and was happy with the da Vinci Prostatectomy was available.
I chose surgery over radiation. Once I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I started speaking with other people who had had it. I spoke with quite a few people with whom I had worked with over the years, known almost my whole professional career. I'd spoken to people who'd had seeds and radiation, and one thing that was common in both methods was there was a tremendous amount of fatigue. And I'm a very active person; I'm a runner, and I'm engaged in sports, I like to stay fit. And the people who'd had radiation were fatigued for months. The other effect that I was told by my urologist was that radiation could have side effects which could be more pronounced down the road, and I chose not to take that risk and go with something I thought would be a minimally invasive type of surgery, and that's why I chose the robotic procedure.
When I went for the surgery, I was operated on about 7:30 in the morning; I woke up about 11 o'clock---I probably woke up a little bit before that, but I was conscious at 11 o'clock in the recovery room. And I really felt no pain or discomfort. I didn't even need a painkiller; they just gave me Tylenol. I stayed overnight in the hospital. I was up and walking around, with a nurse standing next to me, maybe two hours after I went to my room. By 1 o'clock in the afternoon, I was walking the halls of the hospital. The next day, I was discharged from the hospital. I had a catheter that was removed after 5 days, and I was basically back to walking within a week---a mile, two miles. I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. I was back to being as active as I wanted to be. I didn't want to push things, obviously. I was told not to run, because it is a surgery, but I was pretty much back to normal. Within two weeks, I was back to work.
I'd like to say to men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer, "I know how you feel. You probably feel like someone punched you in the stomach. It's a real blow, but gather yourself, do your research." You realize that this is the cancer to get; if it's detected early, you'll probably be cancer-free the rest of your life.
As far as what to look forward to, as far as incontinence and sexual function---that's not going to be that much affected. In fact, I had no effect after 8 weeks. Versus other methods that you have, I can't speak on how that would be with the other methods, but as far as your mental attitude: look at it, fight it, and my advice is, "If you've got a cancer, and it's the kind of cancer they can take out, throw it out---let them do that, rather than treat it and keep it in."