Cancer control, continence, and potency after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy beyond the learning and discovery curves

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the results of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) beyond the learning and discovery curves of 700 patients previously reported by the authors for potency.

Patients and methods: Five hundred consecutive patients underwent LRP during a 28-month period with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Median age (with range) = 61.0 (33-76) years; prostate-specific antigen level = 7.0 (1-37); biopsy Gleason sum = 7 (4-10). Clinical stage was T1 in 41.0%, T2 in 54.2%, and T3 in 4.8%. Nerve preservation (NP) was performed bilaterally in 57.9%, unilaterally in 15.3%, and on neither side in 26.8%.

Results: Median operative time was 157 (91-331) minutes, with no conversions or intraoperative blood transfusions; 0.4% of patients received a transfusion postoperatively, and 4.2% had complications. There were no rectal injuries. The overall positive margin rate was 13.0% and correlated with pathologic parameters. At a minimum of 1 year follow-up (mean=13.5 (12-36) mos), overall survival was 100%, and biochemical disease-free survival was 98.8%. The pad-free rate was 97.4%. Potency (International Index of Erectile Function-5 score ≥17) at a mean follow-up of 13.5 months in previously potent men in their 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th decades after bilateral NP was 100.0%, 91.8%, 82.9%, and 60.0% and after unilateral NP was 100%, 66.7%, 50.1%, and 0.0%. Overall potency after bilateral neurovascular bundle NVB preservation was 86.9%.

Conclusion: LRP is capable of matching or exceeding the best results for open radical prostatectomy and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy when performed by an experienced surgeon in a high-volume setting. These results suggest that the method used to perform radical prostatectomy is a less important determinant of success than surgical experience.