da Vinci® Robotic Prostate Surgery Video: Robert's Story

For More Information: Find a doctor or learn more about robotic prostate surgery.

Transcript

Robert: I am lucky enough to have the world’s greatest wife. I am totally in love with this woman. Look at that belly, how could you not love this woman? Look at that belly button, that is the most gorgeous belly button, you just want to put salt in it.

Rita: I look at that belly button and cry, that’s what I do.

Robert: (laughs) Years ago I had a band in a nightclub and she came in, she sang a couple tunes and I basically fell in love with her on the spot.

Rita: We formed our own band, we called ourselves Joy Ride. There is something pretty great about a — you know — handsome guitar player.

Robert: We’ve been married 30 years this year. I just love to be intimate with her, and it would be sad for me to give that up.

Pam: Robert has a great deal at stake.

Robert: Oh, Rita!

Pam: Prostate cancer is very serious. It moves to the bones, it can move to the brain, it can move into the lungs as well, and it’s very, very painful.

Robert: I had two choices, either surgery or radiation. And a friend of mine at my church mentioned about this Da Vinci robotic surgical device and said, "Oh you ought to check into this, it’s the latest thing for prostate surgery," and of course I did.

Pam: I’ll have Dr. MacIntyre in as soon as he.…

Dr. Ronald MacIntyre, Urologist: Most men that I see are scared to death. They cry, most men are devastated; their life’s on hold, they don’t know what to do.

Robert: And I understand there’s two kinds of prostate cancer, and are you saying that stage 7 is the more….

Dr. MacIntyre: The more aggressive type. Seven is a tumor you want out of there. If you weren’t spread, the surgery should cure you.

Robert: So to me, the only way to go is just get rid of it.

Dr. MacIntyre: Today we’re going to remove Robert’s prostate, priority number one is to get rid of all the cancer. Once they realized I’m going to do this for cure, their biggest fear is loss of urinary control, and then sexual functioning, and if we can do all three, it’s a big win. The difference is, between Da Vinci prostatectomy and the open approach are decreased blood loss, rapid recovery, decreased pain, no big scar.

Rita: I lost my best friend to breast cancer about five years ago, but it’s never like it is for, you know, your closest person.

Dr. MacIntyre: We’re going to be making five tiny little poke holes, and then pass rods that allow these little robotic hands into the belly.

Pam: So, the doctor is sitting at the console with his hands in a virtual-reality space and what his hands are doing inside the computer is reflected on what’s happening inside the patient.

Man: Well, here’s the prostate and here’s the pedicle. The advantage of the robot is we can see where the nerves are so much better. We’re interested in sparing the nerves because we want to preserve bladder control as well as sexual function.

Rita: So when we look back on the years, you think of all the things you went through together, that’s what a long-standing relationship is about.

Man: In another two years, every hospital in San Diego will probably have this, but again, Sharp is the first.

Man: We got the prostate out and we’re sewing up the bladder. And then we’re going to pull it up through the belly button poke hole.

Woman: Hi, I have a call for you … I’m going to transfer it down to that phone behind you, okay?

(phone rings)

Rita: Hello? Yes. Thank you so much, Kate. Okay, I appreciate it. Okay. Bye. The prostate’s out.

Doctor: Instead of a big incision, from here to here, here’s our little poke holes, we’ve closed them with surgical glue. That’s it. All done. You did great. Thank you so much.

Doctor: The prostate came out really nice, you know when they feel it, I can feel where the tumor is and it appears to be well inside a growth capsule, which is like the outer covering of the prostate. Things went just like they planned, so far.

Rita: Thank you so much.

Doctor: You’re welcome.

Nurse: You’re doing fine. How are you?

Rita: Thank you, thank you so much. He looks so good.

Nurse: Doesn’t he look good? I told him that. He looks wonderful.

Rita: They said it went so well. You were fabulous.

Robert: Oh yes, I worked hard at it.

Rita: Find a place to kiss and touch, sweetheart.