What is Colorectal Cancer
 
Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in male and fourth in women in the United States. It is a medical condition that is described as a malignant tumor arising from the inner wall of the large intestine. Most of colorectal cancers develop from polyps. However, colon polyps and colon cancer do not have symptoms and removal of these colon polyps prevents the risk of colorectal cancer. Robotic surgery is the most common treatment for colorectal cancer. It is a state-of-the-art technology that features a magnified 3D high-definition vision system and tiny wristed instruments that bend and rotate far greater than the human wrists. Despite its advanced technology, the system has been reported to cause side effects that prompted patients to file lawsuits against its manufacturer. You can refer at davinci-lawsuit.org for information about the complaints.
                                              
 
Colorectal Cancer and Adults
 
A new study revealed that the incidence of colorectal cancer is increasing in numbers in adults younger than 50 years old. Researchers concluded that the increase in number may be related to the rising rates of obesity and changes in dietary patterns, including increased consumption of fast food.
 
Researchers analyzed data from more than 20,000 patients who took part 24 phase 3 clinical trials for colorectal cancer. Patients who are younger than 40 years old are 30 percent more likely to die from the disease than 57 years old patients. And compared to 61 years old patients, patients who are younger than 40 had a 28 percent higher risk of their disease progressing and spreading during a one-year follow up.
 
The most dramatic increases have been observed in the 20-29 year-old group, where there has been an annual 5.2 percent increase in cases in men and a 5.6 percent increase in women, and in the 30-39 year-old group, where there has been an annual 3 percent increase in men and a 2 percent increase in women.
 
This study is important as it shows that these younger patients may have a worse prognosis if their disease has metastasized. Doctors and patients need to be aware of this so that they are alert to the early symptoms of colorectal cancer, and treatment can be given before the disease has started to spread.
 
 
 
References:
 

• consumer.healthday.com/senior-citizen-information-31/misc-aging-news-10/in-young-adults-colorectal-cancer-hits-especially-hard-study-finds-680634.html
• cancer.org/cancer/news/about-a-third-of-us-adults-not-getting-colon-cancer-screenings
• sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090608072018.htm
• health24.com/Medical/Cancer/News/Colon-cancer-more-aggressive-in-younger-adults-20131002

The prostate gland is a part of the male reproductive system, which is responsible for making the semen. Sometimes, problems such as, inflammation, non-cancerous enlargement of the middle part of the prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia), and cancer of the prostate gland, can occur in the prostate gland. These problems can be prevented with the use of medicine or surgery.

Prostatectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the prostate gland.  It is necessary for enlarged prostate because it causes urinating problems. This circumstance may result to urinary tract infection. Prostate removal can be performed in many ways. The kind of procedure you will have depends on the size of the prostate and what caused your prostate to grow. Open simple prostatectomy is often used when the prostate is too large for less invasive surgery.

However, men may experience difficulty in urinating after surgery. This because the prostate gland sits just below the bladder and completely encircles the urethra at the point where it leaves the bladder. When the prostate gland is removed in a radical prostatectomy or receives radiation therapy, damage can occur to the urinary sphincter. Depending on the extent of the damage, temporary or permanent incontinence can result.

There are reports that even robotic prostatectomy patients experienced urinary problems despite claims that robotic surgeries are safe and have fewer post-surgical complication. The lack of training in surgeons have been pointed to be one of the causes of the problems. In fact, there are already reports of plaintiffs who received compensations due to medical malpractice. 


References:

• drcatalona.com/qa/arch_rp-conditions.asp
  
• betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Prostatectomy
  
• nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007416.htm
  
• caregiverpartnership.com/landing/prostate-surgery/
  
• sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131119131300.htm
  

Sleep apnea is more than a bad night’s sleep because it may anchor potential health problems. Obstructive sleep apnea is believed to agonize approximately 10 to 12 million American people, online media say. Sleep apnea may make a person to stop breathing for more than 30 times an hour and hold their breath up to 20 seconds at a time. There may be harmful side effects if sleep apnea is left untreated. Robotic surgery may be the answer to sleep apnea problem, according to health experts.

TransOral Robotic Surgery or TORS is considered to be amelioration in the obstructive sleep apnea. It is performed in the mouth using da Vinci surgical robotic system. A high-definition 3-D magnified visualization is an important equipment that helps the surgeon to see the insides of the mouth and throat. This lets the surgeon to effortlessly operate through the patient’s mouth. Injuries around the mouth and throat may be avoided with the help of the 3-D visualization and precise cutting instruments.

However, no medical devices and procedures have been proven perfect and without risks. In fact, there are a number of patients who have experienced minor and major problems during or after robotic surgery.

References:

• bvhealthsystem.org/?id=860&sid=1
  
• myfoxny.com/story/21347544/robotic-surgery-could-treat-sleep-apnea
  
• sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130827134751.htm
  
• penn-medicine-clinical-reports.blogspot.com/2011/01/transoral-robotic-surgery-tors-for.html
  
• philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/02/06/health-watch-robotic-sleep-apnea-surgery/
  

Science has always been vigilant in watching for new discoveries and developments. In the present-day, it is regarded that the surgical robot is the most sophisticated invention. Although robotic surgery may sound futuristic to some of us, it had actually been an evolution spanning over two decades, according to online media. In 1987, it has been introduced and used for laparascopy surgery, a cholescystecotomy. Time has helped the scientists to develop and perfect the robotic system. Today, the famous name for surgical robots is the da Vinci.

Leonardo da Vinci, a famous inventor in the 15th century, painter, Renaissance man, and philosopher, has been famous for advancing the study of human anatomy that is why da Vinci surgical system is named after him. The surgeon’s ability is used and boosted with the help of da Vinci surgical system by providing less invasive procedures that is previously needed in major surgeries just as the vivid three-dimensional anatomical accuracy captured by Leonardo da Vinci’s creation.

It was in 1995 that the Intuitive Surgical was founded. In 1999, they had released da Vinci system in the market. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved da Vinci surgical system for laparascopic procedures in 2000.

During that time when the use of robotic surgery is starting to flourish, laparascopy was said to experience some problems. The combination of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and robotic surgery has sparked idea among many institutions to conquer the limitations of laparascopic surgery.

Intuitive also faces of a number of da Vinci lawsuits lodged in recent months alleging that surgeons with insufficient training inadvertently cut tissue with errant electricity from the robot’s electronic cutting tool, causing major complications.


References:

• intuitivesurgical.com/company/history/
  
• roboticsurgeryfdc.com/History.php
  
• allonrobots.com/da-vinci-robot.html
  
• easttnmedicalnews.com/news.php?viewStory=1328