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News — A new robotic surgical technique developed at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) for the removal of all or part of the prostate gland is showing what investigators call a "dramatic improvement" in a male's sexual potency rate. The results were recently presented at the 26th World Congress Endourology meeting in Shanghai, China. CINJ is a Center of Excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and has also developed a Center of Excellence for robotic surgery.

Robotic prostatectomy allows a surgeon to control a set of robotic arms that holds the surgical instruments in order to remove prostate cancer through several incisions that are smaller than a quarter. It allows for additional precision, reduced blood loss, shorter hospital stays and faster recovery for the patient. Isaac Kim, MD, PhD, who is the director of CINJ's Urologic Oncology Program and assistant professor of surgery at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, found a way to enhance the procedure, by developing a new technique known as Athermal Intrafascial Robotic (AIR) prostatectomy.

In AIR prostatectomy, the nerve that controls a man's ability to have an erection is better preserved by sparing over 90 percent of the tissues that surrounds the prostate. In the conventional open or robotic radical prostatectomy, typically only 40 to 50 percent of the tissue around the prostate is spared. Additional tissues that are located at the top of the prostate are nearly impossible to spare during an open prostatectomy due to the presence of a major vein called the dorsal venous complex.

Typically with the conventional method, the sexual potency rate is between 65 and 75 percent at one year following the surgery. With the AIR procedure, investigators at CINJ found the potency level was at 91 percent nine months post surgery. At the nine-month mark for the conventional robotic method, the potency rate was only 67 percent.

Dr. Kim, who has performed more than 450 robotic prostatectomies over the past four years at CINJ's Flagship hospital, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, notes the results are significant, "Not only does the AIR procedure help men regain sexual function in a quicker fashion, but it also helps them to regain control over their bladder faster as well as reducing incontinence."

At six months, the continence rate (defined as requiring no protective pads) following the AIR procedure was 93 percent.

About The Cancer Institute of New JerseyThe Cancer Institute of New Jersey () is the state's first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and is dedicated to improving the prevention, detection, treatment and care of patients with cancer. CINJ's physician-scientists engage in translational research, transforming their laboratory discoveries into clinical practice quite literally bringing research to life. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is a center of excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. To support CINJ, please call the Cancer Institute of New Jersey Foundation at 1-888-333-CINJ.

The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Network is comprised of hospitals throughout the state and provides a mechanism to rapidly disseminate important discoveries into the community. Flagship Hospital: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Affiliate Hospitals: Bayshore Community Hospital, Carol G. Simon Cancer Center at Morristown Memorial Hospital, Carol G. Simon Cancer Center at Overlook Hospital, CentraState Healthcare System, Cooper University Hospital*, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, JFK Medical Center, Raritan Bay Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton (CINJ at Hamilton), Saint Peter's University Hospital, Somerset Medical Center, Southern Ocean County Hospital, The University Hospital/UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School*, and University Medical Center at Princeton. *Academic Affiliate