NEW YORK, March 3 (UPI) -- A U.S.-led team of physician scientists says its found the lack of tactile feedback during robotic prostate cancer surgery does not adversely impact outcomes.
The research, led by New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, determined robotic surgical technology with its three-dimensional, high-definition view gives surgeons the sensation of touch, even as they operate from a remote console.
The study describes the phenomenon called intersensory integration and reports surgical outcomes for prostate cancer surgery using minimally invasive robotic technology compare favorably with traditional invasive surgery.
The scientists said their study also identified various visual cues that surgeons can use to improve clinical outcomes.
"Anatomical details and visual cues available through robotic surgery not only allow experienced surgeons to compensate for a lack of tactile feedback, but actually give the illusion of that sensation," said Dr. Ashutosh Tewari, a professor of urology and urologic oncology and the study's lead author. "For patients, this means the safety of knowing the benefits of a robotic approach -- including a quicker recovery -- don't compromise the surgery's primary mission of removing the cancer."
The research is reported in the British Journal of Urology International.
