Types of Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery Minimally invasive methods for treating urologic problems include: Robotic-assisted prostatectomy — this nerve-sparing technique for prostate cancer can preserve potency and bladder control. Laparoscopic nephrectomy — this lets surgeons remove all or part of the kidney through a small cut instead of a large open cut. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy — this highly specialized technique lets surgeons remove large kidney stones through a keyhole cut. They use high-frequency sound waves to break down the kidney stones and a vacuum to quickly remove fragments. Prostate brachytherapy (seed implants) — this is an effective treatment for prostate cancer. Seed implants deliver a high dose of radiation to the tumor while reducing the risk of damage to nearby tissue. UPMC Mercy is the only Pittsburgh hospital using Cesium-131. This newer isotope has a much shorter half-life than older isotopes, which helps end side effects faster.