Dr Swindle commences the Robotic prostatectomy operating by the patient's bedside to place the operating ports in the appropriate positions and dock the surgical cart of the da Vinci robot. Once the ports are placed and surgical cart docked then Dr Swindle sits at the robotic console and performs the operation, with an assistant surgeon at the patient’s side.
All up the procedure may take a few hours and consists of removal of the prostate and seminal vesicles, joining of the urethra to the bladder (the anastomosis) and then closing the small incisions.
A catheter is placed through the urethra into the bladder over the anastomosis and a drain is placed through one of the operating ports to the space outside the bladder to drain any blood or urine that may accumulate after the procedure.
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