Why a focused question list beats a long history at the first meeting
The first in-person meeting is usually short and crowded. You will meet a urologist, possibly a nurse or coordinator, and you may need an interpreter. If you arrive with a thick folder and no priorities, the conversation drifts into background that the team can read later. If you arrive with five or six written questions, the clinician can answer them directly and you leave with decisions instead of impressions.
Robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy removes the prostate for selected prostate cancers. The robotic instruments are controlled by the surgeon; the operation is still a radical prostatectomy, with the same cancer-control intent and the same functional structures at risk. That single fact should shape your questions. You are not asking whether a robot is better in the abstract. You are asking how this team, with this equipment and this plan, will manage the trade-offs that matter to you.
Before the meeting, decide your top three priorities. Examples include complete cancer removal, returning to work quickly, preserving urinary control, or preserving sexual function. Write them down in order. A ranked list changes what the clinician explains first, and it gives you a way to check whether the plan matches your values.
Questions about cancer control and staging
Ask how the team has reviewed your staging. Specifically: which imaging and biopsy findings support the recommendation for surgery rather than surveillance, radiotherapy, or another approach? If a pathology review has not been done in China, ask whether the team wants your biopsy slides re-read before the operation. This matters because the grade and extent of cancer on the slides influence both the surgical plan and the advice about lymph nodes.
Ask what the planned operation will include. Will the surgeon remove lymph nodes, and if so, which ones? Will nerve-sparing be attempted on one side, both sides, or not at all, and what findings would change that decision during surgery? If the plan is to attempt nerve-sparing, ask what the team will do if the cancer appears more extensive than expected.
Ask what the team will tell you after surgery. You want to know when the pathology report will be discussed with you, who will explain it, and what a positive margin or a rising PSA would mean for next steps. You do not need a guarantee. You need to know the process and who owns it.
Finally, ask how the team defines success for your case. A clear answer will mention cancer control first, then functional outcomes. If the answer only mentions the robot or the hospital, ask again about cancer control.
Questions about urinary and sexual function
These are the outcomes patients worry about most, and they are the hardest to discuss in a short meeting. Prepare direct questions. Ask what the team expects for urinary control in your situation, what support is available if leakage persists, and how long the team will follow that issue. Ask whether pelvic floor muscle training is recommended before or after surgery, and who provides it.
For sexual function, ask what the plan is to preserve or rehabilitate erections. Ask whether medication, vacuum devices, or other support will be discussed, and when. Ask who you should contact if you have questions after you return home. If the team does not offer a structured plan, ask what they recommend instead.
Be honest about your priorities. If urinary control matters more to you than sexual function, say so. If both matter, say so. The surgeon can sometimes adjust the nerve-sparing approach, but only if your priorities are clear before the operation.
Ask what would make the team change the plan. For example, if the cancer is found on both sides, or if the nerves cannot be safely preserved, what will they do? Knowing the fallback plan in advance reduces surprise later.
Catheter care and the first days after surgery
A urinary catheter is typically left in place after radical prostatectomy, but the duration and the instructions for care are decided by the treating team. Ask how long the catheter is expected to stay, who will remove it, and what you should do if it blocks, leaks, or causes pain. Ask whether you will be shown how to care for it before discharge, and whether a nurse or coordinator will be available by phone or message.
Ask about the discharge plan. Will you be discharged to a hotel or apartment, and what support is available if you have questions at night? Ask what warning signs should prompt you to seek urgent care, and where to go. This is not a logistics detail; it is part of the clinical plan.
If you are travelling with a companion, ask whether that person can be present for catheter-care teaching. If you are alone, ask what arrangements the hospital can make. Do not assume that a coordinator can provide clinical care; ask who is responsible for each part of your aftercare.
Ask when you can expect to resume normal activities, and what restrictions apply. You do not need a fixed number of days. You need to know what the team advises for your situation and who to ask if something changes.
Pathology review and follow-up after you return home
Before you leave China, ask how the pathology report will be shared with you and with your doctor at home. Ask whether you will receive a written report in English, and whether the team can provide a summary letter for your local clinician. If a pathology review is needed, ask who will do it and when the results will be discussed.
Ask about the follow-up schedule. How often will PSA testing be recommended, and who will order it? If you return home, will the Chinese team communicate with your local doctor, or will you carry the plan yourself? Ask what records you should take with you, including operative notes, pathology reports, and imaging.
Ask what symptoms or PSA changes should prompt you to contact the team sooner. Ask how to reach them, and whether there is a preferred way to send records. If you need a follow-up appointment in China, ask how that is arranged and what it involves.
Finally, ask whether the team can provide a written summary of the plan in plain language. This is useful for your family and for any clinician you see later. If the team does not provide this, ask what they can offer instead.
How ChinaSpecialistCare can support the first discussion
ChinaSpecialistCare can help you prepare for a robotic prostatectomy consultation in China. We can request a specialist appointment, arrange interpretation, and help you organise your records into a short summary before the meeting. We do not decide suitability, prescribe treatment, or promise hospital acceptance. The hospital and its clinicians make those decisions.
If you would like to start, send a brief summary of your diagnosis and your main question through the enquiry form, email, or WhatsApp. An initial enquiry is free and does not require buying a proxy consultation. We will tell you what information is missing and suggest a practical next step.
For more detail on the procedure itself, see the robotic prostatectomy reference page.
Sources & scope of this guide
References and official service information relevant to this guide.
This is general planning information and has not been individually reviewed by a doctor. Medical decisions and personal treatment advice come from your treating clinicians.