Minimally invasive prostate surgery may increase the risk of some complications

Article here. Excerpt:

'More men who need prostate-cancer surgery are choosing minimally invasive techniques because these surgeries typically lead to shorter hospital stays and decrease many types of complications, including pain. This type of surgery, which often includes the use of a robot, is heavily advertised to consumers.

Minimally invasive techniques increased from 1% to 40% of all radical prostatectomies from 2001 to 2006 and may be as high as 75% of all prostate cancer surgeries today.

But here's a detail men should know about: The most serious complications -- including incontinence and erectile dysfunction -- appeared more often in men who underwent minimally invasive surgery compared to traditional surgery, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. '