Paradigm Shift from Open Surgery to Minimally Invasive Surgery in Three Approaches for Radical Prostatectomy: Comparing Outcomes and Learning Curves

Abstract

Objective: Radical prostatectomy (RP) can be performed by several approaches, such as open retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP), laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP), and robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). This study investigated and shared the differences in the surgical techniques, learning curves, and outcomes of each approach of RP.Materials and Methods: The data of patients who received RP given by one of the authors between January 2002 to June 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. We compared perioperative and postoperative outcomes among approaches, searched for predictors of a positive surgical margin (PSM), and assess the learning curves of the two minimally invasive approaches.Results: 527 patients underwent RP during January 2002 to June 2016 including 42 RRP, 198 LRP, and 327 RALP. RALP had the highest negative surgical margin (68.8%) and lowest multifocal positive surgical margin (10.7%). PSM predictors were the Gleason score and pathological T staging. The learning curve showed that RALP needed one-hundred-cases experience to achieve the lowest PSM rate and 200 cases to master bleeding control. In the first 100 cases in each group, the PSM rate in LRP was lower than in RALP.Conclusion: Minimally invasive approach in radical prostatectomy showed significant improvements over RRP, especially the RALP approach. RALP would take a surgeon 100 and 200 cases to reach the plateau on the learning curve for achieving the desired oncologic and perioperative outcome efficiencies, respectively. However, LRP and RRP are still feasible in a service setting and for training purposes.