A robotic surgery may cost some RM15,000 more, but it offers increased precision and reduced post-operative complications compared with traditional surgery.
Hospital Picaso chairman of clinical practice and consultant urologist Datuk Dr Loh Chit Sin said whether a surgery is performed with hands or robotic methods, its cancer outcome is the same.
“The difference is recovery, pain, blood loss, going back to work, sexual function, urinary function… all these things – huge difference,” he said at a recognition dinner this week by Hospital Picaso and DTG Medical, where Loh received the 1,000th Robotic Surgical Case Milestone Award.
Loh, who has completed more than 1,400 robotic-assisted cases to date from 2010, is the only Malaysian honouree recognised alongside three surgeons from Thailand.
“People were frightened of surgery because of the fear of losing their sex life and urinary control. Robotics has made this surgery more acceptable. Today, out of 100 new cases of prostate cancer, 80 to 90 will go for surgery first. And where there is robotic surgery, they will go for it.
“The difference (of robotic surgery and traditional surgery) can be one kidney or 1.7 kidney. You’d rather have 1.7 kidney for the rest of your life than one kidney, you know? So this can make a difference between needing dialysis 10 years from now when the patient gets older or continuing to live without dialysis until he is 80 or 90,” explained Loh.
He also pointed out the resistance by people to adopt robotic surgery, often deemed expensive, is due to the country’s low basic healthcare costs.
“Some people would rather spend RM15,000 (extra) and be home in two days than be home after seven days or more, and be at work after two weeks instead of three months. This is the patients’ right to choose.
“It’s also the patients’ right to demand good health, not cheap health. I’m not saying that expensive health is necessarily good, but when it comes at a higher cost and yet it brings goodness, you have to embrace that,” added Loh.
In addition, Loh said robotic technology should always be viewed as a tool, rather than a replacement for surgical expertise. Robotic technology does not automatically make a surgeon better. It can support precision in suitable cases, but the outcome still depends heavily on clinical judgement, case selection, preparation and the experience of the team caring for the patient.
The discussion also highlighted Hospital Picaso’s development as a one-stop centre for prostate care, bringing together three urologists trained in robotic-assisted surgery alongside access to diagnostic, surgical and relevant specialist support. As of March 2026, the hospital recorded 564 robotic-assisted prostatectomies, the highest number of robotic-assisted prostatectomies in Malaysia.
