Advanced Robotic & Laparoscopic Surgery

At Peninsula Urology Center we take minimally invasive surgery very seriously.  Although we offer full spectrum minimally invasive surgical treatment options, this section will focus on da Vinci robotic surgery.  At your consultation expect that you will meet one on one with Dr. Bruno.  You will have ample time to ask as many questions as come to mind.  You will then have the opportunity to correspond with him by email for limited questions that may arise after your consultation.  We encourage you to bring a spouse or significant other to the appointment so that you can establish a support system to help you through the process.   Next,  you will meet his preoperative  counseling team including a masters level nurse specialist who will prepare you for your post-operative recovery, ahead of time.  Rest assured that you will not be seen by residents or medical students as they do not participate in your consultation or surgery.  All surgeries are performed by Dr. Bruno who is routinely assisted by Kristi Leer, a surgical physicians assistant with hundreds of cases of experience.  The hospitals we use are El Camino Hospital in Mountain View,  and Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City.  These facilities are  both excellent and boast world class robotic teams.  The Sequoia team was hand selected by Dr. Bruno where he serves as the Medical Director of Robotic Surgery.  You will be in good hands as Dr. Bruno's experience in robotic surgery  is extensive.  Dr. Bruno has been performing robotic surgeries since 2002 and has become a national expert in the field.  His repertoire of cases includes the robotic prostatectomy, nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy, pyeloplasty and sacrocolpopexy.  He has performed many hundreds of cases and currently serves as a lecturer and proctor for Intuitive Surgical Corporation (Sunnyvale, CA).

Please refer to our procedure-specific care maps for specific instructions. For robotic prostatectomy here are some of our general statistics:

Operative console time: 1:45min
Blood loss: 50cc-75cc
Hospital stay: 1day or less
Continence rates: >95% *

Post operative care will depend on the robotic procedure you have performed, but all procedures have a special post operative care map that will be discussed with you prior to surgery. Click here for the Robotic Prostatecomy postoperative Information Sheet.

* long term continence based upon patient query defined as no wet pads per day at 9 months out.

PATIENT PERSPECTIVES...

"No man wants to hear the words; your biopsy indicates that you have prostate cancer.  I spent days on the Internet becoming confused by the wide range of options.  I talked to Dr. Dieter Bruno and other doctors and friends.  Ultimately Dr. Bruno helped my wife and me intelligently consider all alternatives.  In my case the robotic prostatectomy would also correct other problems.  Being an engineer, I was influenced by the appeal of technology and even tested the robot.  But more importantly, I talked to many who had been treated by Dr.  Bruno.  All were extremely pleased and enthusiastic with their care and results.  They had no idea whether he was the best but only that he had performed many successful robotic operations.  What they did know was that Dr. Bruno was sensitive to their concerns and no doctor could care more for his patients continuing wellbeing.  In my case, putting my life in Dr. Bruno's skillful hands, has even improved the quality of my life above where it was before the cancer diagnosis."

David Crockett, Ph.D.
Retired Engineer, CEO, Venture Capitalist

"I was referred to Dr. Bruno by my family physician when my PSA test results began to elevate.  After performing a biopsy it was determined that I indeed did have prostate cancer.  Dr. Bruno was very thorough in explaining my treatment options.  I was fortunate to have detected my cancer early which gave me more options.  Dr. Bruno has vast experience in the new da Vinci Robotic surgery technique and gave me the confidence to choose that direction of treatment.  The procedure is minimally invasive.  I was only in the hospital overnight and back to work in two weeks.  It has been six months since my procedure and I am very pleased with the outcome and Dr. Bruno.  He is straight forward, has a calming professional manner and is very tuned in to his patients.  I highly recommend his services."

David Seacrest

"When I was told that I had prostate cancer, and that the only viable option was an open radical prostatetectomy, I was obviously upset. The procedure is very invasive, with an extended recovery period, and has a high likelihood of complications such as incontinence. My wife and I do a lot of motorcycle touring and incontinence would probably end our riding. Also, summer was fast approaching and we had many trips planned. Fortunately, I had consulted for Intuitive Surgical and knew about the da Vinci system and its success. I called some people I knew there and asked “Who’s the best?” They recommended Dr. Bruno. I met with him and we had extensive discussions on the best approach to solving my case. Initially he leaned towards brachytherapy but, because my prostate was quite enlarged, we decided on robotic surgery. As I’d had a TURP a few years before, he was concerned about the effects of scar tissue.

The surgery went very well and I’ve had no problems with incontinence. Five weeks after surgery, we went for our first short (~100 mile) ride. Two months later, we made a 3500 mile tour to Colorado and back. If anything, I had less discomfort than before.

Dr Bruno was very patient with all my questions and took the time to be sure I understood all the options and risks. His depth of knowledge and clear explanations gave me a lot of confidence that I was with the right person. He was great at getting me into surgery as quickly as possible and the follow-up has been excellent. He is the one I would recommend (and have recommended)."
 
Murray R. Shubaly, PhD
Reliability and Engineering Consultant  

"I was in a state of shock when I learned that I had prostate cancer.  I then did a lot of internet research and found that for my case the options were essentially: surgery, implanting radioactive seeds, and radiation therapy.   I found that surgery is considered the  “gold standard” for treatment, but was also highly invasive and could possibly have more complicated side effects than other treatments methods.  However, I was heartened to learn about a new less invasive surgical procedure called the Da Vinci robotic procedure that promised less trauma, less pain, and a quicker recovery.   Because the procedure was fairly new, I needed to find a doctor who not only knew the procedure, but also who had literally done hundreds of such procedures.  I didn’t want anyone practicing on me.  That is how I came to find Dr. Bruno.   My experience with the robotic procedure was that I was in surgery early Friday morning and was discharged from the hospital the next day on Saturday at 11 am.  Although I was given pain medication, I only took Tylenol for the pain.  For me the experience was as reported by various people on the internet.  Moreover, I found Dr. Bruno to be a very compassionate doctor with a wonderful bedside manner – always willing to listen." 

Peter Wong, Esq.