Three-dimensional surgical navigation model with tilepro display during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy

To facilitate robotic nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy, we developed a novel three-dimensional (3D) surgical navigation model that is displayed on the TilePro function of the da Vinci® surgeon console. Based on 3D transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsies, we reconstructed a 3D model of the TRUS-visible, histologically confirmed "index" cancer lesion in 10 consecutive patients. Five key anatomic structures (prostate, image-visible biopsy-proven "index" cancer lesion, neurovascular bundles, urethra, and recorded biopsy trajectories) were image-fused and displayed onto the TilePro function of the robotic console. The 3D model facilitated careful surgical dissection in the vicinity of the biopsy-proven index lesion. Geographic location of the index lesion on the final histology report correlated with the software-created 3D model. Negative surgical margins were achieved in 90%, except for one case with extensive extra-prostate extension. At postoperative 3 months, prostate-specific antigen levels were undetectable (<0.03 ng/mL) in all cases. The initial experience of the navigation model is presented.