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Every patient diagnosed with prostate cancer has the option to see an A MP surgeon and radiation oncologist. The process is swift and seamless, and both appointments can take place under one roof at the New Hartford office, thanks to the size and interconnected structure of AMP. Physicians present complex cases to a monthly tumor board consisting of urologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists and radiologists. AMP has one of the most well regarded research divisions of any private practice in the country, according to Dr. Block, and members of the research staff attend each tumor board meeting to help determine whether patients are candidates for in- house or external clinical trials. After consulting with a surgeon and radiation oncologist, patients typically return to their urologist to decide on the most appropriate treatment, which may include active surveillance for low-risk lesions or chemotherapy, surgery and/or radiation therapy for higher-risk tumors. EASING THE BURDEN OF RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY AMP features an impressive roster of urological surgeons that includes board- certified urologist and partner David A lba la, MD, who has been a nationa l thought leader in laparoscopic and robotic urological surgery for more than 20 years, and board-certified urologist and partner Jeffrey Sekula, MD, who trained with Dr. Albala at Duke University and joined AMP in 2012. Dr. Welchons — a Clinton native who trained at Harvard Medical S chool a nd Br i g h a m a nd Women's Hospital — joined AMP in 2015. Based at AMP's New Hartford office, Drs. Welchons and Sekula provide surgical services for benign and malignant diseases, including kidney and prostate cancers, at hospitals in the Mohawk Valley. For many procedures, they use the da Vinci Surgical System. One of Dr. Welchons' areas of expertise is per forming bladder-neck-spa ring robotic prostatectomy using da Vinci, which reduces incontinence fol low- ing surgery. "Patients who undergo robotic prosta- tectomy using the bladder-neck-sparing approach experience quicker recovery from incontinence than other patients," Dr. Welchons says. "They typically have a catheter in place for five to seven days or less and may experience some leakage two to four weeks after surgery, but that ceases quickly. This approach to prostatectomy has benefited the vast majority of our patients and helped them return to normal activities faster." Dr. Sekula believes da Vinci helped lapa roscopic surger y f ina l ly rea lize its potential. " W hen I started my career in urolog y, physicians used to say laparoscopy was a tech nolog y look ing for a n applica- tion — surgeons performed it because it was available, not because it was better for patients," Dr. Sek u la says. " Back t hen, open surger y wa s sti l l best for patient s. Now, a f ter nea rly 10 yea rs of per for m i ng robotic surger ies, it 's a ma zing how much quicker a nd easier these urologica l operations are because only a few sma ll incisions a re needed instead of one large one. Patients receive the same surgica l benef its as with open surger y but w it h much less pa in a nd blood loss, shor ter hospita lizations, a nd faster recoveries." Us e o f s p e c i a l i z e d t r a n s v e r s u s abdominis plane (TAP) blocks by local " First and foremost, I see myself as a servant to the primary care physicians from whom AMP is fortunate enough to receive referrals. I text, call and share my notes with them — whatever it takes to ensure they know my colleagues and I are taking care of their patients in the best way possible." — DANIEL WELCHONS, MD, BOARD-CERTIFIED UROLOGIST AND PARTNER AT AMP New Hartford office Urology: 315-724-1012 Radiation Oncology: 315-316-0670 Syracuse office Urology: 315-478-4185 Radiation Oncology: 315-478-3468 Richard Silver, MD Ronald Kaye, MD Jeffrey Sekula, MD anesthesiologists with whom AMP sur- geons collaborate helps keep patients comfortable after surgery. "Perioperative TAP blocks decrease opioid use and constipation, and increase patient satisfaction," Dr. Welchons says. "In some cases, patients ca ll robotic prostatectomy a painless operation." Men who experience incontinence fol- lowing prostatectomy may be candidates for placement of a mesh urethral sling or an artificial urinary sphincter, but robotic prostatectomy has reduced postoperative incontinence such that these procedures are not needed as often as they once were, Dr. Sekula says. COMPREHENSIVE RADIATION THERAPY Accredited by the American College of Radiolog y, A MP Radiation Oncolog y provides radiation therapy services at the New Hartford office under the direction of Neil Mariados, MD, board-certified radiation oncologist, Director of Research, Medical Director of Radiation Oncology Services and a founding partner at AMP. Jonathan Block, MD, MBA M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S C E N T R A L N E W Y O R K ■ 2 019 1 5