New Prostate Cancer Surgery Performed at The University Hospital

Contact: Pat Samson (513) 585-7200
Date: 11/15/2002

Cincinnati--Surgeons at The University Hospital successfully performed the area's first laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, a new procedure used to remove cancerous prostate gland tumors. The procedure was performed on a 58-year-old patient by The University Hospital surgeons, Safwat Zaki, M.D., and Joseph Buell, M.D. The procedure is currently only available in a few centers worldwide. During the laparoscopic procedure, surgeons use endoscopic surgical tools and image-guided technology to visualize the tumor. Because the procedure eliminates the need for large abdominal incisions, patients experience less discomfort, less blood loss, a shorter hospital stay, and faster return to daily activities. The procedure is currently recommended for patients under age 70. "We expect that removing prostate tumors laparoscopically will prove to be the most successful and the preferred method by experienced surgeons and patients alike," says Dr. Zaki. The University Hospital is part of the Health Alliance, an integrated health care delivery system that also includes The Christ Hospital, The St. Luke Hospitals, The Jewish Hospital, The Fort Hamilton Hospital and the physicians of Alliance Primary Care. To view other Health Alliance news releases, go to www.health-alliance.com/pressroom.