Prostate cancer is one of the newest forms of cancer that have been detected and originates in the prostate gland. The prostate gland is a rather small structure that makes up a part of the male reproductive system and is located wrapped around the urethra. One of the more important functions of the prostate gland is to be able to press down on the urethra in order to control urination while its primary function is to produce some of the substances that are present in the semen. There are a number of factors that could place certain individuals at a greater risk of developing the condition than others. For instance, studies have shown that African - American men are more likely than their Caucasian counterparts to develop the condition while age or family history of the condition are also common factors. Symptoms to look out for include delayed or slow start to urination, straining while urinating, bone pain and tenderness around the lower back and pelvic pains as well as dribbling or leakage of urine.
Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is a surgical procedure that is focused on the removal of the prostate gland in order to prevent the cancer from spreading. The laparoscopic radical prostatectomy surgery will also see the presiding doctors then reconstruct the urethra directly to the bladder. The laparoscopic radical prostatectomy procedure may differ from one surgeon to another, but the end result will always be similar. With regards to laparoscopic radical prostatectomy side effects, bleeding remains at a minimum although allergic reactions and infections are always a possibility.
One of the best aspects of the procedure is the fact that laparoscopic radical prostatectomy recovery is usually very fast and patients are allowed to leave the hospital by the day after the procedure. Overall, the procedure should take about five hours to complete with a very experienced surgeon while an average urologist could take up to eight hours. There is a significant risk of the surgeon making a mistake of accidently incising into the prostate resulting in the possibility of leaving some of the cancer inside the patient. The primary cause of this is attributed to a lack of tactile sensation. Another problem that has been reported in the higher risk cases include the fact that expert surgeons using what is known as the 'robotic technique' will usually not perform a lymph node dissection - thereby increasing the risk of reoccurrence.