Robotics: His Favorite Toy Now a Tool for Better Health

Another Father’s Day is here.  Aside from another “World’s Best Dad” coffee mug or football-shaped remote control, what can you get the man in your life that he doesn’t already have?  I have an idea for him that you may not have considered, and one that could save his life.

This summer, as you watch the evening news, you will likely hear the ongoing debate regarding prostate cancer screening with a test called Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA).   Just weeks ago, the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued an inappropriate recommendation that would block men’s access to this lifesaving cancer screening test, most particularly for high-risk men.  This recommendation by a federal government panel directly contradicts the recommendation of the American Cancer Society and the American Urological Association, two organizations which for decades have established guidelines for prostate cancer screening.

In the year 2012, the PSA blood test is the most important tool used to detect early prostate cancer.  Normally, only small levels of PSA are present in the blood.  However, abnormalities in the prostate gland, such as prostate cancer and other prostate disorders, may enable more PSA to pass into the bloodstream.

Since routine PSA screening began in 1986, about one in six American men have been diagnosed with prostate cancer.  If detected early, it is almost always curable. However, if detected at an advanced stage, it is almost always incurable, and it can be devastating.  Regularly scheduled PSA testing virtually eliminates the diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer.

The American Cancer Society and the American Urological Association recommend discussions regarding annual PSA testing beginning at age 50.  Men at increased risk for prostate cancer—black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer—should begin discussing annual screening between the ages of 40 to 45.  Most urologists agree that PSA testing should be used in conjunction with other clinical information to assess the overall likelihood that cancer is present, and that a biopsy may be warranted.

For years, The Jackson Clinic’s urologists have delivered the #1 choice for treatment of localized prostate cancer in the United States, the da Vinci Prostatectomy.  More and more West Tennessee men are choosing The Jackson Clinic’s da Vinci Prostatectomy, a minimally invasive, robotic-assisted surgical procedure that allows specially-trained surgeons at The Jackson Clinic to remove the cancerous prostate gland.

The da Vinci robotic system represents cutting-edge technology, and allows Jackson Clinic surgeons to operate with unmatched precision, 3-D visualization and control through tiny 1-2 cm incisions. Patients typically experience decreased post-operative pain, shorter hospitalization, a quicker recovery period and less intra-operative blood loss.  The majority of patients leave the hospital in less than 24 hours. 

For most patients, the main concerns about prostate cancer are eliminating the cancer while maintaining both urinary and sexual (erectile) function. The da Vinci Prostatectomy offers patients many potential benefits over traditional open surgery in these areas.

The Jackson Clinic surgeons remain at the forefront of this revolutionary technology and continue to lead Jackson and Madison County into the future of robotic surgery.  The urologists at The Jackson Clinic have written an informative booklet entitled The Patient and Physician’s Guide to da Vinci Robotic Prostatectomy that we give to patients who are diagnosed with prostate cancer.   If you have a friend or loved one that would like a copy of this book, feel free to call or pick up a complimentary copy at our office.

Along with state-of-the-art prostate cancer treatment, The Jackson Clinic Department of Urology offers state-of-the-art, minimally-invasive surgery for:

• Bladder and Kidney Cancer
• Kidney and Ureteral Stones
• Female Urinary Incontinence and Pelvic Organ Prolapse
• Male Incontinence
• Low Testosterone
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Benign Prostatic Enlargement (BPH)
• Vasectomy
• Ureteropelvic Junction (UPJ) Obstruction
• Symptomatic Kidney Cyst Removal and Decortication
• Varicocele Ligation
• Spermatic Cord Denervation

Advances in prostate cancer detection and treatment with PSA testing and the use of the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System are saving or improving thousands of lives.  Maybe it’s time to talk about this with the man in your life. Encourage him to discuss PSA testing with his physician at his next appointment.   The urologists at The Jackson Clinic are always available for an appointment to discuss this in more detail.

Timothy C. Davenport, MD
Robotic and Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery
Department of Urology
The Jackson Clinic
Board Certified, American Board of Urology

Dr. Timothy C. Davenport is a graduate of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.  His medical degree is from The University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee.  He served his internship in General Surgery and his residency in Urology at The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi.  Dr. Davenport is a member of the American Urologic Association, Endourological Society, and the American Medical Association.  His specialties include prostate cancer, robotic prostate cancer surgery, and female urology/urogynecology, which includes female incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction and reconstruction.  He has authored many articles, and has been published in journals such as the Journal of Urology, Pharmacy and Therapeutics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, as well as authored articles for magazines, newspapers, and other publications.  In addition,  Dr. Davenport was named 2012 Tennessee Doctor of the Year by the Tennessee Men's Health Network based in Knoxville, Tennessee for work involving advancement of prostate cancer and men's health issues awareness.