Cutting edge robotic surgery cuts out cancer

Scott Tuck knows all too well that prostate cancer dons the nickname of “silent killer” among men, and that it remains the No. 2 leading cause of cancer deaths for males. Sadly, Scott’s father died of the disease years ago. Looking back, Scott says his dad chose an “old school” approach, as he “wouldn’t allow anyone to mess with it.”

Scott, on the other hand, is not old school. He views cutting-edge technology and the advancements of science as a blessing for mankind that should be utilized – and that’s one of many reasons Scott chose Utah Robotics Institute at St. Mark’s when he needed his prostate removed.

Scott’s diagnosis and sepsis collide

For years, Scott and his physicians had closely monitored his bloodwork, due to his genetically elevated risk for prostate cancer. Over time, his Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) score slowly climbed to a point that warranted a biopsy. So Scott and his wife, Gina, drove four hours from their home in Elko, Nevada to Reno for the biopsy procedure.

During their return trip from Reno, Scott felt cold chills run up and down his body, his temperature elevated, and as he approached his hometown, he began urinating blood profusely.

Gina drove Scott straight to the Elko Emergency Room, where Scott’s blood pressure plummeted, and his white blood cells struggled. The physicians pumped him with antibiotics through an IV in his arm, but the infection proved too powerful. His body was in a state of sepsis.

Scott received an emergency Life Flight back to Reno.

“They didn’t think I was going to make it,” Scott remembers. “They put a central line in my neck and got antibiotics directly to my heart. That saved my life!”

About one week later, Scott learned he’d need more life-saving healthcare. The biopsy results were in — Scott had prostate cancer.

Choosing revolutionary care

Scott and Gina selected Salt Lake City as their destination for healthcare, and Scott looked for an experienced physician who uses cutting-edge technology and techniques to provide top quality care.

“Technology today is amazing and advanced. I’ve always been a science guy, but I also like to do my research before I do anything,” Scott said. “I watched videos online about robotic surgery and watched a video with Dr. Peter Fisher and felt like this was the best thing to do. As soon as I met Dr. Fisher, we hit it off. He’s very personable.”

Dr. Fisher, urologist and chairman of Men’s Health and Robotic Surgery at St. Mark’s Hospital, is Utah’s most experienced robotic surgeon. Correspondingly, St. Mark’s Hospital boasts the most robust robotics program statewide. To Scott, the physician and the facility came as a perfect match.

During their initial visit, Dr. Fisher explained several treatment options available to Scott, including radiation, traditional open surgery, freezing the prostate gland with ultrasound ablation, and minimally invasive robot-assisted surgery using the da Vinci Surgical System.

While Scott felt drawn to the minimally invasive robot-assisted surgery option, this solidified his decision: With the robot’s precise movements and instruments, surgeons can spare the muscles controlling urinary continence and the nerves controlling erectile function. This means that even though surgeons remove the cancerous prostate, patients maintain quality of life after treatment.

Other benefits of the minimally invasive robot-assisted prostate removal surgery include:

• Smaller incisions. Traditional open surgery requires one long incision on the lower abdomen, while laparoscopic robot-assisted surgery creates several 1-2 cm holes.
• Less blood loss.
• Decreased risks of infection.
• Significantly less pain.
• Shorter hospital stay.
• Faster recovery.

The robot’s role in surgery

During minimally invasive robot-assisted prostatectomies, a surgeon controls the robotic instruments while sitting at a surgical console near the patient. The state-of-the-art technology includes high-resolution cameras for superior vision, and micro-surgical instruments which scale and translate the surgeon’s exact movements seamlessly. The surgeon remains the chief mastermind during surgery, while the robot enhances visualization and provides consistent, minute movements. Together, the surgeon and robotic surgical system ensure that each procedure is performed as precisely as possible.

From patient to spokesman

Scott underwent the robot-assisted prostatectomy in September 2017. He spent one night at St. Mark’s Hospital following the surgery, followed by at-home recovering. Since the surgery, he’s been cancer free!

Today, Scott feels it an honor and responsibility to speak up and share his experience and wisdom about prostate health.

“I try and be an ambassador regarding prostates. Some people might think I’m crazy when I start talking about their prostate and asking when they had it checked last — but when I tell them my story they look at me and say, ‘Oh, I’m going to get my prostate checked,’” Scott said.

He’s also quick to speak up about the Utah Robotics Institute at St. Mark’s, the professionalism and skill of Dr. Fisher, and the compassion of the entire St. Mark’s staff that provided his life-saving care.

“They make you feel comfortable, they’re kind, organized and clean. It’s a great atmosphere. They show mutual respect for each other and for me, and they have a touch of humor as well. Most importantly, when it’s time to rumble, they put on their game faces and go,” Scott said.