More precise treatment options with robotic technology

Prostate cancer is a major risk to men’s health, with South African men facing a one in eight chance of developing this most common of male cancers. 

Urologists Dr Hannes Brummer and Dr Johan Coetzee, who practise at Netcare Greenacres Hospital, are encouraging men to prioritise prostate cancer screening this Men’s Health Month. 

“Usually, men do not feel any symptoms until prostate cancer has progressed significantly, which is why they need to be proactive about booking their routine prostate cancer screenings,” explains Dr Coetzee. 

“With the advanced prostate specific antigen [PSA] screening blood test available from GPs these days, there is so much more opportunity for prostate cancer to be detected earlier when it is still at a highly treatable stage.” 

“For men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer following a needle biopsy, the treatment options available have improved to such an extent that there is more hope than ever before. Even where surgery is needed, prostate cancer does not necessarily pose a significant disruption to your life,” Dr Brummer adds. 

“A prostate cancer diagnosis can be daunting. We have walked this path with so many men, and robotic assisted surgery offers some important advantages for the removal of cancerous tissue in the prostate gland, in particular the precision of this minimally invasive option.”

Over 1 000 robotic assisted procedures have been performed at Netcare Greenacres Hospital since the introduction of this technology in August 2017. 

At Netcare Greenacres Hospital, Dr Brummer and Dr Coetzee use the da Vinci X robotic assisted surgical system to operate through tiny punctures in the skin using slender instruments more dexterous than the human hand.

Dr Brummer and Dr Coetzee emphasise that the surgeon remains in control of the robotic system at all times. With magnified 3D imaging capabilities, including a large fixed-focus area at the highest resolution, the nerves, blood vessels and tumour are visible with great clarity for the intricate procedure. 

“This robotic system is especially useful for operating on the prostate, as we can more clearly distinguish the nerves controlling erectile function and urinary continence. In most cases, there is less need for blood transfusion and reduced risk of complications,” Dr Brummer explains. 

“Another of the advantages of this robotic technology for prostate tumours is that there is much less tissue damage in this sensitive area. Compared with traditional surgery, this means men usually experience much less downtime with less discomfort after the procedure. This translates into shorter hospital stays and faster recovery with robotic assisted prostatectomies overall.”

General manager of Netcare Greenacres Hospital, Reon van Rensburg, joined the urologists in reinforcing the importance of prostate cancer awareness. “Let’s talk to our brothers, fathers, sons and grandsons about health issues, and get to know your family risk for both prostate cancer and breast cancer.”

Van Rensburg thanked Dr Brummer and Dr Coetzee for their continued dedication to making the world-class minimally-invasive robotic assisted surgical option available for patients local to Gqeberha and from as far afield as Knysna, George and East London, inland regions of the Eastern Cape, and parts of the southern Free State, the Northern Cape and the north-eastern region of the Western Cape.

“This Men’s Health Month, let’s pledge to be decisive about booking those routine health checks. Making the time now and every year could help to save your life in future,” Dr Brummer and Dr Coetzee concluded.