Comparative results of nerve-sparing robotic-assisted prostatectomy

Abstract

Background. Considering decreasing age of patients with prostate cancer, increasing cancer alertness of first-line doctors as well as increased frequency of radical prostatectomies (RP), the problem of preservation of erectile function (EF) is vitally important (erectile dysfunction develops in 25–75 % of all patients who underwent surgery).The study objective is to analyze preservation of EF after RP depending on the type of endoscopic access and nerve preservation.Materials and methods. Between February of 2015 and February of 2016, in the Urology Clinic of the Sechenov University, 507 RPs were performed; the retrospective single-center study included 231 patients with localized prostate cancer. Surgery was performed with the following accesses: laparoscopic, extraperitoneal laparoscopic, and robotic. Indications for nerve preservation were formulated based on the Briganti nomogram, Partin table as well as patient’s desire to preserve EF. Further evaluation of EF was performed using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF5), evaluation of quality of life – using the QoL (Quality of Life) scale.Results. RP with nerve preservation was performed in 150 patients. Surgical time and blood loss did not significantly differ for surgeries with and without nerve preservation (р = 0.064 and р = 0.073 respectively). Pathomorphological examination showed that in all cases (n = 231) integrity of the prostatic capsule and negative surgical margin were achieved. Frequent significant erectile dysfunction and full loss of EF were observed in patients after RP without nerve preservation compared to the group with preserved neurovascular bundles (5.0 (0.0–10.0) points compared to 6.5 (0.8–19.0) points per the IIEF5 scale, р = 0.271): 96.2 % versus 72.2 % (p <0.001). Nerve preservation significantly improved quality of life: 1.63 ± 1.16 points versus 1.88 ± 1.02 points per the QoL scale (р = 0.035).Conclusions. The best results were achieved in the robotic access group. Surgery with nerve preservation decreased frequency of EF loss. This benefit in conjunction with the radical nature of the operative intervention allows to consider RP techniques with nerve preservation as reasonable approach to erectile dysfunction prevention in patients with localized prostate cancer.