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Posted 7/17/2014 5:32 AM (GMT -5)
My husband has a gleason score of 7.We are going to see a surgeon next thursday.Has anyone else had surgery with the Davincci robot at St.Francis hospital in hartford Ct??
Posted 7/17/2014 7:20 AM (GMT -5)
Hi Double-J,

Sorry you need to be here, but glad you found us. This forum is a great source of support and information for men (and their wives) with Prostate Cancer.

I don't know anything about the surgeons at that hospital. If you are not satisfied with your options there, Hartford is only 2 hours from NYC where you will find some of the world's best surgeons for Davinci prostate surgery. Dr. Ash Tewari (Mt. Sinai), Dr. David Samadi (Lenox Hill) and the surgeons at Sloan Kettering are well-known.

I strongly suggest you check the "recommended links" below in my signature for more helpful info.

-Gedman
Posted 7/17/2014 11:08 AM (GMT -5)
DoubleJ,

Welcome to the forum!

I don't know much about the hospital you mentioned but, as Gedman said, there are a number of first-class medical centers not that far from you. Your husband and you should talk to a number of surgeons before you decide.

When you talk to the surgeon at St Francis you should understand going in that (s)he is the first surgeon you are talking to. Be upfront about the fact that you will be getting several opinions. Robotic prostatectomy has a learning curve and studies have show that high-volume surgeons get better results on average. You should ask each surgeon how many procedures he has done total and how many he does in a typical month. Then you can balance that information against the convenience of using your local hospital. For the major centers you should ask where patients and family generally stay and what sort of travel arrangements are recommended. Lots of patients travel to seek treatments at the major centers and they can help with the logistics.

You might also ask you husbands urologist if he might be a candidate for other treatments besides surgery. Brachytherapy (radioactive seeds) have similar outcomes for many cases and may cause fewer or less severe side effects.

How old is your husband? You said his Gleason score was 7; do you know if it was described as 7(3+4) or 7(4+3) in the pathology report? One of those is higher-risk than the other and if we know which he is we can help you understand your options.
Posted 7/17/2014 3:24 PM (GMT -5)
DJ, there are 2 hospitals with excellent PCa DaVinci reputations here in Ct. Hartford hospital and Yale. My procedure was at Yale with dr. John Coleberg and I can't speak highly enough about him and the care at Smilow.

As well, I know there are 2 excellent urologic surgeons doing robotic procedure at Hartford Hospital.

That said, there might be someone real good at St Francis that I don't know. Please be aware that a very inept surgeon at Danbury Hospital came close to killing me and I wish I had taken the extra time to research instead of choosing someone because they were close and convenient.

Pls feel free to contact me if I can help you and your husband.

Dave
Posted 7/17/2014 5:30 PM (GMT -5)
Hi

Welcome to the HW forum, hang on.... you will find many helpful members here willing to share their experiences & knowledge.

All the best to you & your hubby.

Posted 7/17/2014 8:48 PM (GMT -5)
I agree that location should not be the driver behind your decision. I flew up to Johns Hopkins to have my surgery. I was in hotel three nights and hospital two nights and then back home. My cath and staples were removed by my local urologist. But you're close to great hospitals in CT and NYC.
Bob
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