After spending 30 years as a general surgeon, Jimmie Jackson, MD, knew pretty much what to expect when it was his turn to be the patient in early 2025. But this was one time his experience did not live up to the expectation… and that was a good thing.
Dr. Jackson retired 12 years ago after nearly 30 years as a general surgeon with SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City. Throughout his career, he had seen surgery advance from open surgery to laparoscopic surgery and then robotic surgery, but he didn’t truly understand how significant that was from a patient’s perspective.
In mid-2024, he began experiencing lower abdominal pain. His physician ordered a CT scan, which showed that his bladder was distended. Unfortunately, Dr. Jackson said he chose to ignore this until it had progressed to the point where he couldn't empty his bladder at all and became very ill. The day after an emergency room visit in January of 2025, for pain and blood in his urine, he had a catheter placed and had his first appointment with Mohammad Ramadan, MD, an SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital urologic surgeon. A cystoscopy in the office led to Dr. Ramadan recommending a robotic-assisted simple prostatectomy. Surgery was performed 10 days later.
“When I was practicing, there were urologists doing simple prostatectomy, but it was a much more complex operation through a larger incision,” Dr. Jackson said. “Recovery-wise, patients spent three to five days in the hospital, sometimes longer. They had catheters for two or more weeks and had high rates of blood transfusion.”
That was then. Today, with robotics and smaller single incisions and single ports, surgeons use basically the same techniques, with much better outcomes.
Following his surgery, Dr. Jackson had his catheter removed about seven days later. He was started on blood thinners three days after surgery and his catheter was left in a bit longer to make sure there were no issues with it, Dr. Ramadan explained. “When Dr. Jackson came to my office following the surgery, he asked me why he didn't have any pain,” Dr. Ramadan said.
“When we were doing the procedures when I was a surgeon, it was pretty uncomfortable for the patients,” Dr Jackson said. “They’d have to take pain medication for three or four days at least before they were comfortable enough to sit at home. For me, postoperatively, everything was amazing. I got to go home and sleep in my own bed. And, I really didn’t even need any pain medication, as far as discomfort was concerned. It’s unbelievable how little pain I had.”
Within a week of his surgery, Dr. Jackson’s urine cleared up and “everything was working great.” He no longer had to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, his appetite returned and he “felt very good, thanks to Dr. Ramadan!”
Patients undergoing a robotic-assisted simple prostatectomy can expect:
- A small, less than 2-inch incision below the belly button
- A catheter for less than one week
- Minimal pain
“This experience was just outstanding for me,” Dr. Jackson said. “It really is so much better for patients. We go home faster. We recover faster. We're able to get our catheter out faster and back to regular activities pretty quickly.”
If you are experiencing symptoms similar to Dr. Jackson and need to see a specialist, search for an SSM Health physician.
