Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center

Urology and Continence Center

Minimally Invasive Surgery

Robotic-assisted Surgery

The renowned surgeons at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center perform robotic-assisted surgery using the da Vinci® Surgical System, the first robotic surgical system in the world approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The da Vinci integrates robotics, computer technology and surgical skill to simplify many surgeries, transforming traditionally invasive surgeries into minimally invasive procedures.

In December 2002, Memorial Hermann-TMC established the Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Robotic Technology. One of the largest robotic training centers in the nation and the only one in the Gulf Coast region, the center, which stands at the forefront of this groundbreaking technology, has trained surgical teams from across the country.

Robotic-assisted surgery gives surgeons the flexibility of traditional open surgery while operating through tiny incisions, eliminating the need for a large incision and long recovery.

Patient benefits include:

• Shorter hospital stays
• Less pain
• Lowered risk of infection
• Less blood loss
• Fewer transfusions
• Less scarring
• Faster recovery
• A quicker return to normal activities

Two of the most common urological problems of men – prostate cancer and urinary incontinence – can be treated using robotic-assisted surgical techniques. We also offer robotic vasectomies and vasectomy reversals.
   

Robotic-assisted Prostatectomy

Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer among men in the United States. Approximately 16 percent of men will have the disease during their lifetime, and almost 180,000 will be diagnosed this year.

Radical prostatectomy, or surgical removal of the prostate gland, has become a popular treatment choice for men with prostate cancer. Traditional radical prostatectomy requires an 8- to 10-inch incision, which can result in substantial blood loss, a lengthy and uncomfortable recovery and increased risk of impotence and incontinence.

If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and choose to have surgery, you may be a candidate for robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy, a less-invasive approach offering less pain, less blood loss, lowered risk of long-term incontinence and impotence and faster recovery. The most common type of robotic surgery, this procedure has been performed more than 50,000 times worldwide.

Using the da Vinci® Surgical System, surgeons at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center perform precise, nerve-sparing surgery that results in more complete eradication of cancer, as well as retention of bladder control and potency.

For more information on robotic-assisted prostatectomy, call the Memorial Hermann Urology and Continence Center at 713-704-2494.

Robotic-assisted Bladder Augmentation

Urinary incontinence responds to a broad range of treatments, including behavioral modification, Kegel exercises and medications. When less-invasive first-line treatments fail, bladder augmentation can restore quality of life and, in many cases, improve health outcomes.

Bladder augmentation has been a mainstay treatment for many years for patients who fail to respond to conservative therapy, but the traditional approach requires a large abdominal incision. Robotic-assisted bladder augmentation provides the same outcome, while offering the additional benefits of reduced pain, shorter hospital stays, less scarring, a lower risk of complications and a quicker return to normal activity. 

Our surgical team performs two primary types of bladder augmentation:

In a simple cystoplasty, a segment of the small bowel is used to increase bladder capacity. Cystoplasty with appendicovesicostomy or Monti procedure involves simple cystoplasty and uses the appendix or an additional piece of small bowel to create a catheterizable channel to the abdominal wall.

For more information on robotic-assisted bladder augmentation, call the Memorial Hermann Urology and Continence Center at 713-704-2494. 

Robotic-assisted Vasectomy and Vasectomy Reversal

More than 500,000 American men undergo contraceptive vasectomies annually. Between 3 and 8 percent of men with vasectomies opt for reversals at a later time.

Surgeons at Memorial Hermann-TMC offer both procedures using the da Vinci® Surgical System with less pain, faster recovery and outcomes that are comparable to traditional microsurgical techniques.

For more information on robotic-assisted vasectomy and vasectomy reversal, call the Memorial Hermann Urology and Continence Center at 713-704-2494.