In robotic surgery the surgeon sits at a console a few metres from the patient and controls instruments held by robotic arms, most commonly the da Vinci system. The instruments enter through keyhole ports, bend like a wrist and filter out hand tremor, while the surgeon sees a magnified three-dimensional image. The robot does nothing by itself.
Its clearest advantages are in deep, narrow spaces such as the pelvis. For prostate removal it reduces blood loss and hospital stay compared with open surgery, while cancer control and long-term continence and erections are broadly similar and depend mainly on the surgeon. For many other operations it matches laparoscopy at a higher price, so ask what it adds in your case.
Conditions this service looks after
- Prostate cancer needing radical prostatectomy
- Kidney tumours suitable for partial nephrectomy
- Bladder cancer
- Endometrial and cervical cancer, fibroids, endometriosis and hysterectomy
- Rectal cancer and other colorectal resections
- Complex or recurrent hernias and reflux surgery
- Selected throat tumours removed through the mouth
- Mitral valve repair and selected lung resections
Tests you may be offered
- Standard cancer staging: MRI, CT or PET and biopsy exactly as for open or laparoscopic surgery.
- Anaesthetic assessment: Prolonged steep head-down positioning and gas pressure are demanding for people with glaucoma, severe lung disease or heart failure.
- Review of previous surgery: Dense adhesions may limit port placement.
- Surgeon and team experience: Ask about case volume; outcomes improve markedly after a surgeon's first few hundred robotic cases.
Treatments available
- Robotic radical prostatectomy: The most established robotic operation, with nerve-sparing where the cancer allows.
- Robotic partial nephrectomy: Removes the tumour and saves the kidney with short clamping time.
- Robotic hysterectomy and myomectomy: Helpful in obesity and complex pelvic disease.
- Robotic colorectal surgery: Aids dissection in a narrow pelvis for low rectal tumours.
- Transoral robotic surgery: For selected tonsil and tongue base cancers.
- Robotic-assisted joint replacement: A different technology: a CT-planned arm guides bone cuts in knee and hip replacement.
When to ask for a specialist opinion
- You have been offered prostate, kidney or pelvic surgery and want to compare approaches
- Robotic surgery is not available where you live and waiting lists are long
- You have obesity or a narrow pelvis that makes conventional keyhole surgery harder
- You want an experienced high-volume surgeon for a technically demanding operation
Travelling to Türkiye for this care
Robotic operations are planned procedures with short stays, so they suit travel: about 7 to 10 days for prostatectomy, including catheter removal at around a week, and 7 to 10 days for kidney or gynaecological surgery. Pathology results arrive within 1 to 2 weeks and can be discussed by video. Cancer follow-up, such as PSA testing, continues with your doctor at home, so share the operation note and pathology report. Do not let travel delay cancer treatment beyond what your oncologist considers safe.
Send your reports, scans and a short history and a Clinic-Y coordinator replies within 24 hours with suitable teams and written, all-inclusive proposals side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
الأسئلة المتكررة
Does the robot operate on me?
No. Every movement is made by the surgeon; the system translates hand movements into instrument movements.
Is robotic better than laparoscopic surgery?
For prostate and some pelvic operations many surgeons find it enables a more precise dissection. For gallbladder or simple hernia surgery there is no proven benefit.
What if the robot fails during surgery?
Technical faults are rare. The team is trained to continue laparoscopically or open.
Why does it cost more?
The system, its maintenance and single-use instruments are expensive.