MY RELATIONSHIP TO DA VINCI SURGERY: Patient

MY CONDITION: Prostate Cancer

TYPE OF PROCEDURE I HAD: da Vinci Radical prostatectomy

DATE OF PROCEDURE: Jul 12, 2008

MY SURGEON: Dr. Mark A Sutton

HOSPITAL WHERE MY PROCEDURE WAS PERFORMED: Methodist Hospital

OTHER TREATMENTS I CONSIDERED BEFORE DA VINCI SURGERY:
Da Vinci, Traditional Surgery, Seeds, X-Ray and Photon Radiation

THE BIGGEST CONCERNS I HAD ABOUT TREATMENT:
Loss of Bladder control; loss of sexual function; could they get it all?

WHY I CHOSE DA VINCI SURGERY:
A lot of reading of technical papers and research led me to believe that da Vinci was the ONLY way to go.

HOW LONG I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL:
2 nights

MY PAIN AND/OR DISCOMFORT LEVEL:
About 3 on a scale of 1 to 10, mostly from the drain..

ABOUT MY RECOVERY TIME:
After 3 weeks, I was released to do anything I felt like doing..

WHEN I RETURNED TO NORMAL ACTIVITIES:
3 weeks

ABOUT MY SURGEON AND/OR FACILITY STAFF:
Dr. Sutton was extremely competent and had a great bed side manner, which did much to alleviate any of my or my family's concerns.

HOW DA VINCI SURGERY COMPARED TO MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES OR PRECONCEPTIONS OF SURGERY:
I have had my knees scoped twice; and, in some ways, this was a walk in the park compared to that.

No record of prostrate problems/cancer in my family. After my annual physical, my PSA was up by 1.5 over last year. My internist sent me to Dr. Sutton for a 12 punch biopsy; 9 of the twelve had cancer or pre-cancer in them - Gleason was 7.1. After three meetings with Dr. Sutton, I decided that removing the prostrate was the only way to go. I decided against any form of radiation, because of the difficulty it imposes on any further treatments. With surgery, I still had the option of more surgery or radiation, should there be a reoccurrence. Next decision was where to have it done. Dr. Sutton was trained at the capital of da Vinci (Detroit). The surgeons in Detroit have done more da Vinci procedures than Dr. Sutton, but I was confident in his ability to do the surgery. So, my choice was da Vinci by Dr. Sutton. I am a technologist and know a great deal about computer-controlled devices; so, I was VERY comfortable with my decision. ALL the nerves and sexual function were spared; the bladder sphincter was spared and began working VERY WELL about a week after the catheter was removed. The biopsy of the prostrate showed the cancer was totally contained within the prostrate (let's hear it for annual checkups!), and the glands which were removed were completely free of cancer. My 3 month PSA was fine, and I have just had my six month PSA, but don't have the results yet. I couldn't be happier with my doctor and the da Vinci method!!!