Da Vinci® is the name of a type of robot that can be used to help surgeons carry out an operation known as a laparoscopic prostatectomy. This is more generally known as robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP).

As with standard laparoscopic prostatectomy a tiny video camera and specialised instruments are placed through 4 or 5 tiny cuts in the tummy area (abdomen). But, instead of the surgeon and assistant holding the camera and instruments, they are attached to robotic arms capable of delicate and precise movement.

The robot can't make any movements on its own. It is completely controlled by the surgeon who views a magnified 3-D video image of the prostate and directs the movements of the operating instruments.

Laparoscopic prostatectomy is a specialised type of surgery and should only be carried out by surgeons with the necessary training and experience. Some surgeons have had training in carrying out laparoscopic prostatectomy unaided while others are trained in RALP. It isn’t clear at the moment if the results of surgery are any different between experienced surgeons using one method rather than the other.

Because there are only a few surgeons trained in these techniques and there are only a few robot assisted systems such as da Vinci® in the UK this approach is not yet widely available. Your specialist will be able to tell you if it might be appropriate for you and whether it may be available to you.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) haven’t issued guidance on whether RALP should be available on the NHS. So your primary care trust (PCT) or in Scotland, your local health board, would decide whether to fund this type of treatment for you or not.