Samsung Seoul Hospital Uro-oncology Center Achieves 300 Cases of 'Robot-assisted Radical Cystectomy'

13 Years After First Surgery in 2008... Increasing Speed Gradually Accelerates
More Patients Eligible for Surgery and Shorter Time as Experience Grows

Samsung Seoul Hospital Uro-oncology Center Bladder Cancer Team.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The Bladder Cancer Team at the Uro-oncology Center of Samsung Medical Center (Urology Professors Jeong Byeong-chang, Seong Hyeon-hwan, and Song Wan) announced on the 24th that they have achieved 300 cases of robot-assisted radical cystectomy for bladder cancer.

Radical cystectomy is a surgery performed when bladder cancer invades the bladder muscle tissue or, even if it does not invade the muscle, does not respond to intravesical drug therapy and has a high risk of recurrence and progression. In men, it is an extensive surgery that removes the bladder along with the prostate and seminal vesicles, and in women, it involves removing the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and part of the vagina. Pelvic lymph node dissection is also sometimes performed.

Because urinary diversion surgeries such as ileal conduit or orthotopic neobladder are performed using the small intestine, it is known to be the most challenging among all uro-oncology surgeries. The incidence of various postoperative complications has been reported to be at least 40% and up to 70%. The surgery time is also relatively long, ranging from 6 to 8 hours. Nevertheless, robot-assisted radical cystectomy is rapidly increasing worldwide, especially in major hospitals. As surgical experience accumulates, studies show that compared to open surgery, treatment outcomes such as survival rates are similar, but pain is less, patient recovery is faster, and the incidence of blood transfusions and wound complications is lower.

Samsung Medical Center began the first surgery in August 2008, reached 100 cases in 2016, and surpassed 300 cases last year. The surgery time has also decreased, currently averaging 4 to 5 hours at Samsung Medical Center.

Jeong Byeong-chang, head of the Uro-oncology Center, said, “Thanks to our experience of performing over 1,300 cystectomies in the bladder cancer team, robot-assisted surgeries can be performed more safely and precisely,” adding, “We will do our best to reduce postoperative complication rates and improve treatment outcomes such as survival rates in the future.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.