Speaking from experience, 60-year-old Larry Brennan can look you in the eye and tell you exactly what it feels like to be diagnosed with cancer.

"It's a scary thing," he says. "When you're told you have it, the hairs start standing up on the back of your head. It certainly scared me."

With equal conviction, Brennan can also tell you what it's like to be cancer-free.

"I feel as good as I've ever felt," he says. "I'm very, very pleased."

Brennan feels lucky he caught his prostate cancer early.

The first symptom turned up during an annual physical with Dianne Sprague, PA. His PSA (prostate specific antigen) was elevated enough to cause concern.

"Good thing we found it early," Brennan says. "I know people with prostate cancer who didn't know they had it and never got a physical. You want to catch it early."

Brennan, who lives in Muscatine, Iowa, made an appointment with Bernard Fallon, MD, a UI professor of urology and a prostate cancer specialist with the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, located at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Fallon's conducted a biopsy that confirmed the presence of cancerous cells in the prostate. Brennan had four options:

• Do nothing, and hope to outlive the spread of cancer
• Radiation therapy
• Radiation therapy with seeds
• Surgical removal of the prostate via minimally invasive robotic surgery

Brennan didn't have to think long about his decision, believing that prostate removal surgery would give him peace of mind for the long haul, especially knowing that he was a good candidate for robotic surgery.

"The robotic surgery option was pretty reassuring," he says. "They told me the incisions are much smaller (than the traditional prostate removal surgery) and that for most patients, there is less pain, reduced blood loss, and faster recovery."

Brennan's robotic surgeon was Fadi Joudi, MD, a UI assistant professor of urology who frequently uses the daVinci® robotic surgery system.

Joudi performed Brennan's procedure using UI Health Care's second robot, the new da Vinci S TM system with three-dimensional high definition (HD) imaging.

In addition to sharper imaging of the operative field, the 'S' system has four mechanical arms instead of three, digital zoom, and interactive video.

"Dr. Joudi was very professional, as was everyone else I came into contact with, including the nurses," Brennan says. "He explained everything in detail, answered all my questions, and followed up after the procedure in person. I can't thank him enough."

Since undergoing prostate removal in December 2007, Brennan has had two follow-up appoint ments confirming he is cancer-free. He also regained continence very shortly after surgery, a concern for many patients undergoing prostate removal.

  "I had some discomfort afterwards but that disappeared and I feel great," he says. "I'm ve ry, very happy with the outcome and the advantages of robotic surgery. In fact, I told them I'd be happy to speak with other prostate cancer patients if they needed me to."

--Michael Sondergard

Leading the way

UI Health Care surgeons have been pioneers in robotic surgery since acquiring the technology in 2002. Both of UI's da Vinci® systems are being used for:

• Cardiothoracic surgery ( Mark Iannetonni, MD; Kalpaj Parekh, MD)
• Pediatric surgery (Chris Austin, MD; Joel Shilyanski, MD)
• Gynecologic surgery (David Bender, MD; Catherine Bradley, MD; Thomas Beukers, MD; Ali Luck, MD; Ginny Ryan, MD; Brad VanVoorhis, MD)
• Urologic procedures, especially prostate cancer (Howard Winfield, MD; Fadi Joudi, MD)

For more information, patients and family members should call UI Health Access and ask for robotic surgery coordinators Luke Jobman, RN, or Marta Zahs, RN, call Jobman at 319-356-1970 or Zahs at 319-384-7040, or e-mail luke-jobman@uiowa.edu or marta-zahs@uiowa.edu .

For consultation or referral, physicians should contact UI Consult.

Da Vinci S HD TM benefits         

• less blood loss
• less scarring
• generally, less pain
• quicker recovery
• faster return to normal daily activities
• favorable clinical outcomes

"With the new da Vinci S HD TM robotic surgery system, we can perform even the most complex and delicate procedures through very small incisions with unmatched precision ."

--Howard Winfield, MD
Director, laparoscopic and robotic surgery

Back on the Job
Larry Brennan has been a seed and fertilizer salesman for the past 17 years.

In the Field
Brennan visits with customer Larry Salemink during spring planting season.