Robotic Urologic Surgery

Urologic surgery involves procedures on delicate tissues and complex systems, sometimes in hard-to-access areas. Minimally invasive surgery using the state-of-the-art da Vinci robots brings the precision of tiny instruments and 3D guidance systems to those delicate procedures. With the help of the robots, our surgeons are able to work through small incisions, leading to less scarring, less pain, and a quicker and more thorough return of normal functions. Robotic urologic surgery is performed at Detroit Receiving Hospital in Midtown Detroit, Harper University Hospital in Midtown Detroit, Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital in Commerce Township, and Sinai-Grace Hospital in Northwest Detroit.

Prostate Conditions

Robot-assisted prostatectomy allows surgeons to remove the prostate without the risk, inconvenience, and discomfort associated with open surgery. Prostate surgery with the da Vinci robot leads to fewer days with a catheter, a shorter hospital stay, and a quicker return to normal activities.

Urinary Tract Conditions

Ureteropelvic junction (UPIJ) obstruction—blockage where the ureter meets the kidney—can be caused by scar tissue, kidney stones, or even some congenital conditions. Your doctor might recommend minimally invasive pyeloplasty to remove the blockage. With the da Vinci surgical robot, our surgeons can perform the procedure through small incisions, resulting in less pain, less scarring, and shorter hospital stays.

Kidney Tumors

The da Vinci robot allows surgeons to treat kidney tumors with as little pain, scarring, or trauma to healthy tissue as possible. If your doctor calls for a partial nephrectomy, the surgeon will remove the tumor through a few tiny incisions, leaving the healthy part of the kidney intact. If the tumor’s size or placement makes that impossible, the surgeon may have to perform a radical nephrectomy and remove the entire kidney. Either way, the da Vinci surgical robot allows them to perform the procedure with less pain, less scarring, and hospital stays that may be half as long as stays after open surgery.

Bladder Conditions

Robotic surgery allows your surgeon to remove the bladder if medically necessary. After the bladder is removed, the urinary drainage is then reconstructed to either an external system or back to the urethra using segments of intestines. The robotic approach provides similar outcomes to the traditional open approach without the large incision. Patients often recover faster, having less pain and shorter hospital stays.