Metro Urology Foundation will be sponsoring the Fourth Annual Prostate Awareness Golf Tournament at Kilkarney Hills, River Falls, Wisconsin. Sponsorship opportunities are available. The tournament will be held on Monday, June 17th, 2013. Registration is at 10:00am and 1:00pm shotgun.
for information on sponsorship opportunities and a golf registration form: Download Sponsorship Registration Form
On September 16th, 2013, we will be sponsoring the North Oaks Golf Club Tournament to promote prostate cancer awareness. This is slated to be a big event and the da Vinci Surgical Robot is to be on display for demonstration. Dr. Gaertner and Dr. Knoedler will be present as sponsors of this event.
We are proud to sponsor the Kilkarney Hills Golf Tournament to be held on June 17th, 2013 in River Falls, WI for prostate cancer awareness.
Kilkarney Hills Golf course opened in 1994 and is located in beautiful River Falls, WI. This tournament will be held to promote prostate cancer awareness.
More information to follow
We are proud to participate in the 2013 LaborCare Health + Benefits Fair. Complete with free health screenings, education information and live entertainment, this event held April 20, from 7am – 2pm is a fantastic community event at Target Field.
No one wants to find out that they need surgery. There can be many scary unknowns. However, there are times when an operation is an absolute must to relieve pain, cure conditions, and restore health. If you have come to that point and your doctor has just informed you that you need surgery, you may feel a little overwhelmed or afraid.
Although your doctor may be 100% right that you need a surgical procedure, there is always room for human error or opinion-based decisions. There are times when a second opinion should not be just thought of as an option—it should be considered a must. How do you know when it’s the right idea to get a second opinion?
There is No Rule
There is no specific rule that gives you a clear-cut line when you should get a second opinion. However, there are some things you should discuss with your doctor or research on the Internet. Asking the right questions will tell you a few things.
If you can, get these answers from your doctor.
It is Your Decision
The bottom line is, it is your decision. Even if you cannot find any other option but surgery, there is nothing wrong with getting a second opinion to ensure that it’s the right option for you. Often if you are having trouble committing to the surgery, then hearing the same advice from another expert can confirm what you know and help you go ahead with that decision.
When should you get a second opinion? Often, you will want to consult another professional if there is any waver or if there are any other treatment options. Bottom line – it is your decision.
Both Dr. Christopher Knoedler & Dr. Robert Gaertner were listed as top urologists according the U.S. News. The list is composed of physicians selected based on peer nominations.
Dr Knoedler has been annually recognized by his peers as a “Top Doctor” in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine. Dr Knoedler is also a recognized Regional Leader in the techniques of Robotic Surgery. He and his partner, Dr. Gaertner, performed the first Robotic Prostatectomy in private practice in the Upper Midwest. They were recently presented with the Thirlby Award by the North Central Section of the AUA for their clinical research on Robotic Prostatectomy.
Dr. Gaertner currently serves as a director of the Robotic Surgery Program at Healtheast Hospitals. He is recognized by his peers as a “Top Doctor” in the Minneapolis/St.Paul Magazine. Doctors Knoedler and Gaertner were recently awarded the Thirlby Award for outstanding clinical research in robotic surgery.
For the full list [Click Here].
If your doctor has scheduled you for an operation, you are probably already wondering what’s it like to have surgery?
For most people, just the thought of having surgery can be stressful. You can reduce much of your anxiety by learning what to expect both during surgery and recovery afterwards.
Your surgery experience will vary depending upon the condition being treated and the type of surgery. The two main types of surgery are:
In general, when you have surgery, you can expect the following steps, although outpatient surgeries may not involve all of these.
When you arrive at the hospital or clinic for your surgery, you will be asked to provide information about your:
A nurse will take your vital signs, such as your blood pressure, heart rate and temperature. You may also need to have other tests, like X-rays or blood tests.
You will be given a paper or plastic bracelet to wear that allows hospital staff to identify you easily.
Often, you will not be allowed to eat or drink anything for several hours before you have surgery. Food or liquid in your stomach can increase the risk of complications, or cause vomiting during or after surgery.
For most surgeries, some type of medicine (anesthesia or anesthetics) is used to make you fall asleep or to numb part of your body so you don’t feel it during surgery.
These medicines are given before your surgery, and include:
The hospital staff will prepare (also called “prep”) you for having surgery. This includes:
In the operating room, you may notice that the doctors and nurses are all wearing protective clothing. This includes masks, gowns, caps, booties and plastic eyeglasses. These are worn to reduce your chance of getting an infection during surgery.
In some hospitals or clinics, medical or nursing students may be present in the room during your surgery. They are there to watch and learn the procedure.
After surgery, you will be taken to a recovery room (also known as the postoperative room, or post-op). Your condition will be monitored by nurses for up to a few hours, depending upon the type of surgery.
When you wake up from the general anesthesia, you may feel confused, groggy, nauseated, chilly, or even sad. When you are fully awake, the surgeon will meet with you to tell you how the surgery went.
If you experience any pain after surgery, you will be given pain medications (either pills or in your IV line). You may also be given antibiotics to reduce your chance of infection.
If you are staying overnight in the hospital, you will be brought to a hospital room, where nurses will monitor your condition until it is time for you to leave.
Men diagnosed with prostate cancer now have many treatment options available to them, including radiation, surgery, and drugs that stop the growth of the prostate cancer.
With so many choices, all of which have their own benefits and risks, choosing the best prostate cancer treatment can be difficult. The most appropriate therapy will depend upon the size and aggressiveness of the cancer, as well as whether it has spread to other parts of the body. In some cases, multiple treatments are used.
Improved screening and detection of prostate cancer means that many cancers are found long before they are likely to pose a serious threat.
When theprostate tumor is very small or slow-growing (early stage), many men opt to “watch and wait,” an approach known as active surveillance.
This doesn’t mean do nothing. Your prostate cancer will be monitored regularly for changes in its size or growthusing:
Radiation can be used to kill prostate cancer cells. Improved methods have allowed doctors to use higher doses of radiation, but with fewer side effects. The two main types are:
During prostate surgery, the prostate gland is removed (radical prostatectomy), along with any nearby lymph nodes (part of the immune system) that have become cancerous.
While any surgery has a risk of complications, minimally invasive techniques, such as robotic prostatectomy using the da Vinci® Surgical System, combines the latest robotic and surgical techniques. Prostatectomy performed using the robot has many benefits, such as:
Success of this procedure depends on both the skill and experience of the surgeon, as well as the technique used.
Hormone therapy blocks or reducesthemale hormones, such as testosterone, that fuel the growth of prostate cancer. Side effects include decreased sex drive and loss of muscle mass. This treatment can involve:
If the prostate cancer moves beyond the prostate gland (metastasis)—such as into the lymph nodes or other organs—doctors may use multiple types of therapies in order to treat this aggressive form of cancer.
In addition to hormone therapy, another treatment option is chemotherapy, which uses special drugs to slow or stop the growth of prostate cancer cells. These drugs are usually given in cycles, such as every 21 or 28 days.
The main side effects of chemotherapy are:
Surgery procedures have come a long way from the past methods and they continue to advance on a regular basis. These days, surgery can be done with a precision that is hard for us laymen to comprehend, and one of the most precise methods of surgery in this day and age is robotic. Through robotic surgery, doctors and surgeons are able to reach the minutest areas where hands would never be able to go. Through robotic arms, the surgery itself is clean and precise. However, it is also a very new option, which means you may know little about it. Before you have any surgery done, you should always ask your doctor questions.
Below, you will find questions you should ask before you undergo robotic surgery.
Is Robotic Surgery the Right Choice for My Surgery?
Not all surgical procedures can even be performed through this cutting edge method. It may or may not be an option for you, depending on the condition that you have and the procedure that you need to undergo. You will need to talk to your doctor to determine if this is the right choice for you.
Are There Reasons Why the Procedure May Not be the Best Choice?
Even if you can undergo robotic surgery, you will need to understand that there may be reasons why it is not the best option. You could have some types of underlying medical conditions. There may be specific things that you and your doctor need to discuss. Be sure to understand what those things are to determine if you still want to undergo robotic surgery.
What Types of Risks are There to Robotic Surgery?
Of course, there are always risks to any type of surgical procedure. You need to understand those risks well before you have any surgery done. Talk to your doctor about the specific risks that may come along with robotic surgery as compared to the risks that come with other treatment options you may have.
What Type of Recovery Time Can I Expect from Robotic Procedures?
Often, the recovery time from a robotic surgery will be much shorter than other procedures, but this can depend immensely on the type of procedure you are undergoing. Be sure to discuss the recovery time you can expect from robotic surgery as opposed to other types of treatments.
How Long Will the Procedure Itself Take?
Robotic surgeries involve different time frames, when compared to other types of treatments and procedures. You will be under anesthesia during that time, and you need to know how long the surgery will take. Be sure to discuss the robotic procedure with your doctor and the time frames of it or any other surgical procedure you could consider for your condition.
Anytime you need to have a surgical procedure performed, you will need to ask all of the right questions. If you have the option of robotic procedure, then you will definitely need to understand everything about it before you undergo anything so that you can determine if it is the right choice for you.
Dr. Gaertner and Dr. Knoedler have been invited to speak at the Dec. 12th Men’s Prostate Health Event in River Falls, WI. The event will be held at River Falls Area Hospital Conference Rooms. At the conference, Dr. Gaertner and Dr. Knoedler will present on the latest advancements in prostate screenings and other risk factors, options and treatments. The event will contain patient stories, presentations and videos.
One lucky attendee will with a $100 Cabellas gift card!
To register call 715-307-6060. Space is limited.
Learn why we are the most trusted in da Vinci surgery among surgeons in our area.
Share your story here...
