Mr. Kim (64), who has long suffered from diabetes and hypertension, was diagnosed with stage 3 renal failure and was enduring a painful life. While barely maintaining kidney function at less than half of a normal person's, a 6cm diameter kidney cancer was additionally discovered in his left kidney. Typically, cancer of this size would require the complete removal of the kidney. After surgery, dialysis would have been unavoidable.

However, the robotic surgery team at Inha University Hospital's Department of Urology opted for a 'partial nephrectomy,' precisely excising only the cancerous area. Utilizing robotic equipment, they maximized the preservation of the remaining kidney tissue. This case is cited as a representative example of robotic surgery that removed the cancer while maintaining kidney function, thus avoiding dialysis.

Another patient, Mr. Choi (55), was diagnosed with stage 2 bladder cancer, necessitating a radical cystectomy (complete removal of the bladder). Conventional open surgery requires a large abdominal incision and involves significant pain and risk of complications during recovery. The robotic surgery team at Inha University Hospital used the Da Vinci Xi robotic system to remove Mr. Choi's bladder and simultaneously create an artificial bladder. By delicately manipulating instruments through small incisions, they minimized bleeding and pain. The patient showed a rapid recovery rate and has now returned to daily life and work.

Robotic surgery is establishing itself as a new surgical method that not only reduces incisions but also preserves function and enhances quality of life. In the past, organs had to be resected depending on the size and location of the cancer, but now it is possible to precisely remove only the necessary areas while preserving function.

Robotic surgery can minimize the incision range compared to open surgery. It allows for precise movements in deep areas that are difficult for the medical staff's hands to reach directly. The robotic arms, with multiple joints, enable such delicate operations. As a result, cancerous tissue can be precisely removed while minimizing damage to surrounding nerves or blood vessels. This contributes to the preservation of organ function and improvement in the patient's quality of life.

Recently, single-port robotic surgery has been widely used in areas such as prostate cancer and pyeloplasty (a surgery to correct a blockage in the flow of urine from the kidney to the bladder). It can be performed through a single small incision, offering excellent cosmetic results and quick recovery, leading to high patient satisfaction.

Robotic surgery in the Department of Urology at Inha University Hospital is rapidly growing. Just a few years ago, the number of surgeries was around 100 annually, but it has more than doubled recently. Even during the medical strike, which raised concerns about a medical gap, surgeries did not stop. As a result, the number of surgeries performed has exceeded 1,000 cases.

Robotic surgery is no longer an advanced treatment for only a few patients. It is becoming established as a standard treatment considering the individual conditions and disease characteristics of patients with various urological diseases. Particularly for patients where organ preservation or reduced recovery time is important, robotic surgery offers a different option from existing treatments.

Professor Jung Doo-yong of the Department of Urology at Inha University Hospital stated, “Urological robotic surgery has surpassed merely reducing the incision range,” and explained, “It is an important treatment strategy that can simultaneously achieve the two goals of preserving organ function and enhancing the patient's quality of life.” He further emphasized, “We will continue to accumulate various clinical evidence to expand the therapeutic value of robotic surgery.”

Popular News