Techniques and Outcomes of Salvage Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (sRARP)

Abstract

BackgroundSalvage Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (sRARP) has been described as feasible treatment for the management of localised prostate cancer (PCa) recurrence after primary treatment. However, no large reports have published cancer and quality outcomes. ObjectiveTo report perioperative, functional and oncologic outcomes of sRARP in patients with localised PCa recurrence. Design, Setting, and ParticipantsWe retrospectively evaluated 106 patients with local recurrence eligible for sRARP. Surgical ProcedureSurgery was performed using the DaVinci Si system similar to the standard approach but with adaptation to the primary treatment. MeasurementsPeri-operative outcomes included 90-day complication rate. Functional outcomes included rates of incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Oncological outcomes included tumour staging, margin rate and recurrence. Results and LimitationsPrimary treatment was High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) in 59 (56%) patients, 27 (25%) radiotherapy, 10 (9%) seed brachytherapy, 8 (8%) solitary androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), one (1%) cryotherapy and one (1%) electroporation / Nanoknife. Median follow-up was 2.1 years. 90-day complication rate was 8%. At two years or more, 50% were fully continent and 33% were socially continent. Continence rates tended to be better after focal compared to whole-gland treatments. Erectile dysfunction was present in 95%. Positive surgical margin rate was 39%. Biochemical recurrence occurred in 13% and local or metastatic recurrence in 11%. ConclusionssRARP is technically more challenging but is a feasible option in high-volume centres for treatment of recurrent PCa. Patients should be counselled that functional outcomes are inferior to primary RARP. Adjustment of surgical technique according to the primary treatment is key for good surgical outcomes. Patient SummaryWe report our experience with sRARP for the management of localised PCa recurrence after primary treatment. This represents a feasible approach with acceptable peri-operative complications and cancer outcomes. Functional outcomes are inferior to RARP in the primary setting.