POD-01.08: Curtain dissection of the lateral prostatic fascia and potency following laparoscopic radical prostatectomy – a veil of mystery

Abstract

Several workers have identified nerves in the lateral prostatic fasica, considerably higher than the traditionally-accepted posterolateral location of the neurovascular bundle (NVB). Menon et al (2005), amongst others, have advocated high incision of this fascia and attribute to a large extent their 97% potency rate 12 months following robotic radical prostatectomy to preservation of these fibres. We incorporated this step into our technique of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) and present the results of its use in 137 patients undergoing bilateral NVB preservation, having previously performed 616 cases of LRP.