Precision Preserves Function During Prostate Surgery

Patients undergoing a prostate procedure have similar questions. Will the cancer be removed completely? Will it return? Will the surgery impact continence? What degree will I be able to function sexually after the surgery? These are all important factors in determining the success of the procedure. 

Urologist David Emmott, MD, says precision is key when it comes to preserving nerve fibers and other structures in the removal of prostate cancer. Although the cancer starts growing within a contained section of the prostate, it eventually expands beyond that area. The nerves that are essential for erectile function and continence travel within a one to two millimeter layer, so preserving the nerves while removing the cancer can be a challenge!  

Emmott approaches the prostate from a different angle that avoids injury by staying away from the nerves as much as possible. Experience has given him the knowledge to identify what to leave and what must go. Patients can be assured their surgery will be performed by a highly experienced robotic surgeon who performs every surgery himself.  

Ten years have passed since Emmott and his partner, Urologist Scott Montgomery, MD, completed their first robotic-assisted prostatectomy at Shawnee Mission Medical Center.

Not only are the physicians highly specialized, but the OR Team and floor staff are also well trained in robotic-assisted surgery. The team, which includes anesthesia, nurses, technicians and Bio-Med staff members, takes great pride in their contribution to the overall success of each procedure. From admission through discharge, Shawnee Mission Medical Center is dedicated to getting patients back to the activities they love as soon as possible following surgery.