Robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: evolution and outcomes.

Robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) is rapidly gaining acceptance in the urologic community as an effective treatment modality for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. For the open surgeon, this technology assists in the transition to laparoscopic-based surgery. With early stage cancer, the absence of tactile feedback appears to be offset by the superior visualization and instrumentation that the daVinci robot (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) provides. Economical considerations also appear to be outweighed by patient demand and benefits. Short-term perioperative, functional, and oncological outcomes all appear to be equivalent to the gold standard, open radical retropubic prostatectomy. In conclusion, RALP is an excellent option for patients considering prostate cancer treatment and should be part of the urologic surgeon's armamentarium.