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, Mr. Kim was additionally diagnosed with a 6cm kidney cancer in his left kidney. Typically, cancer of this size would require the complete removal of the kidney. After surgery, dialysis would be unavoidable.

However, the robotic surgery team at Inha University Hospital's Department of Urology opted for a 'partial nephrectomy,' precisely excising only the cancerous part. Utilizing robotic equipment, they maximized the preservation of the remaining kidney tissue. This is considered a representative case of robotic surgery where cancer was removed 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). Traditional open surgery requires a large abdominal incision and carries significant risks of pain and 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 and has since returned to daily life and work.

Robotic surgery is establishing itself as a new surgical method that goes beyond merely reducing incisions to preserving function and enhancing quality of life. In the past, organs had to be removed depending on the size and location of the cancer, but now it is possible to precisely remove only the necessary parts and preserve 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, equipped with multiple joints, enable such delicate operations. As a result, it is possible to precisely remove cancerous tissue while minimizing damage to surrounding nerves or blood vessels. This contributes not only to the preservation of organ function but also to the improvement of the patient's quality of life.

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

Robotic surgery in the Department of Urology at Inha University Hospital is rapidly growing. A few years ago, the number of surgeries was around 100 annually, but it has recently more than doubled. Even during the medical crisis when a healthcare vacuum was a concern, surgeries continued. As a result, the number of surgeries performed has exceeded 1,000 as patients consistently sought treatment at the hospital.

Robotic surgery is no longer an advanced treatment for only a few patients. It is becoming a standard treatment that considers the individual conditions and disease characteristics of patients with various urological disorders. Especially for patients where organ preservation or reduced recovery time is crucial, robotic surgery offers a different option from traditional 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,” adding, “It is an important treatment strategy that can simultaneously achieve the dual goals of preserving organ function and improving patient quality of life.” He further emphasized, “We will continue to accumulate diverse clinical evidence to expand the therapeutic value of robotic surgery.”

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