Surgical, Oncologic, and Short-Term Functional Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Robot-Assisted Prostatectomy After Previous Transurethral Resection of the Prostate

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the surgical, oncologic, and short-term functional outcomes of patients with a history of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). The records of 2000 men who underwent RALP from February 2006 to April 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 80 men had undergone TURP before RALP. A match-paired analysis was performed using our database to identify 80 additional men without a history of TURP with equivalent clinicopathologic characteristics to serve as a control group (non-TURP group). The parameters compared included patient preoperative clinicopathologic characteristics, intraopeoperative characteristics, postoperative oncologic characteristics, minor and major postoperative complications, continence, and potency. The mean time between TURP and RALP was 3.6 months (3-6 months). Regarding preoperative characteristics, a statistical difference was only observed regarding preoperative patient potency in the TURP vs non-TURP group. Regarding intraopeoperative characteristics, a statistical difference was observed regarding the need for bladder neck reconstruction and skin-to-skin operative time. Regarding postoperative pathologic characteristics, the positive surgical margin rate was not significant when the two groups were compared. The continence and potency rates in 12 months were similar (87.5%/91.25%) and (70.3%/86.5%) for both patient cohorts. Although the procedure is technically more demanding, exhibits a prolonged operative time and time interval before continence and potency returns, it can be safely performed without compromising functional results as well as the radical nature of cancer surgery.