Can anyone tell me how many laparoscopic radical prostatectomies are
performed in the United States each year? It would be most helpful to
have this information for two recent years (2002 or later) to see how
use of the procedure is growing. If this is not possible, I will
accept the number from 2003 or later.

I am not looking for the number of open surgical radical prostatectomies in
the U.S., but specifically want to know the number of laparoscopic
radical prostectomies, which are minimally invasive procedures.

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Request for Question Clarification by bobbie7-ga on 04 Feb 2006 18:08 PST

Hello Lauren0125,

Does the following information help?

Thanks, 
Bobbie7

"In the U.S., up to 40 per cent of roughly 90,000 radical
prostatectomies this year will be performed using the da Vinci, less
than six years after the first North American robotic prostate
procedure was performed in Richmond, Va."

Winnipeg Free Press: January 17, 2006
http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:rpsqaDyJnSEJ:www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/life/story/3267198p-3783153c.html+%2230000..900000+Radical+Prostatectomies&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=13

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Clarification of Question by lauren0125-ga on 04 Feb 2006 18:26 PST

Hello again bobbie7,

This is an interesting number, however I have done some research and
the da Vinci system can be used for both laparoscopic and open radical
prostatectomy procedures, so I don't know how close of an estimate
this is.

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Request for Question Clarification by bobbie7-ga on 04 Feb 2006 18:28 PST

Dear Lauren0125,

Thank you for your clarification.
If I locate other figures I will let you know.

Sincerely,
Bobbie7