Introduction
To date, no study has analyzed the predictors of potency recovery in a robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) series. A novel risk stratification for erectile function recovery after retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP) has been proposed recently by Briganti et al. from the University Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan, Italy.
Aim
To evaluate the potency rate in a series of consecutive patients who underwent bilateral nerve-sparing RALP, to identify the preoperative predictors of erectile function recovery, and to validate the risk-group stratification of Briganti et al.
Methods
The clinical records of all patients who underwent RALP for clinically localized prostate cancer between April 2005 and April 2009 were prospectively collected in the Prostate Cancer Padua Database. For the present study, we extracted all consecutive cases receiving a bilateral nerve-sparing technique with a minimum follow-up ≥12 months.
Main Outcome Measures
Twelve-month potency rate after RALP, defined as an International Index of Erectile Function 6 (IIEF-6) score ≥18.
Results
Data showed that 129 out of 208 enrolled patients (62%) were potent 12 months after surgery. Age (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.8; P <0.001), Charlson score (HR: 2.9; P = 0.007), and baseline IIEF-6 score (HR: 0.8; P <0.001) were independent predictors of potency recovery at multivariate analysis. According to Briganti et al.’s risk-group stratification, the 12-month potency rate following RALP was 81.9% in the low-risk group, 56.7% in the intermediate-risk group, and 28.6% in the high-risk group (P <0.001).
Conclusions
In the era of robotic surgery, the key point for the success of the nerve-sparing technique remains the accurate selection of patients. Age ≤65 years, absence of associated comorbidities, and good preoperative erectile function are the most important preoperative factors to select those patients for whom bilateral nerve-sparing RALP can achieve the best results.
In our experience, even if on a limited number of patients, the application of ICG with NIR fluorescence during RARP is helpful to identify the benchmark artery of neurovascular bundle.
In this preliminary study, repeated simulations, increased leadership, improved role delineation, and surgical room reorganization enabled faster and less flawed conversions. Further studies are needed to identify if such protocols may translate to actual safety improvement during open conversions.
The first approach to patients with AC is often supportive care. Surgery remains the most invasive treatment in the management of those patients who are not responsive to conservative treatments.
Renal cell carcinoma has extremely heterogeneous presentation at the diagnosis: it may present as a confined organ disease, locally advanced, metastatic to locoregional lymph nodes or with single or multiple systemic metastases. Since chemotherapy and radiation therapy have not demonstrated efficacy either in primary therapy or in neo-adjuvant or adjuvant therapy for renal clear cell carcinoma, targeted agents like tirosine kinase inhibitors were developed and are largely used in locally advanced and metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Here, we present a rare case of ipsilateral renal cell carcinoma testicle metastasis, after radical nephrectomy and during tyrosine kinase inhibitors therapy. In addition, a retrospective search in PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science database on testicular metasteses from renal cell carcinoma under tyrosine kinase inhibitors therapy was performed.
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