Open radical prostatectomy reproducing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: Involving antegrade nerve sparing and continuous anastomosis

Purpose: To present modified RRP using the same method as RALP and compare its surgical outcomes with RALP. Materials and Methods: Demographics, perioperative and functional outcomes of the 322 patients that underwent RRP (N= 99) or RALP (N= 223) at our institution from January 2011 through June 2013 were evaluated retrospectively. Postoperative incontinence and erectile dysfunction are involved functional outcomes. During the modified procedure, the bladder neck was dissected first as for RALP. After dissection of vas deference and seminal vesicle, the prostate was dissected in an antegrade fashion with bilateral nerve saving. Finally, the urethra was cut at the prostate apex. After a Rocco suture was applied, and then urethrovesical anastomosis was performed with continuous suture as for RALP. Results: Perioperative characteristics and complication rates were similar in the RRP and RALP groups except for mean estimated blood loss (p<0.001) and operative time (p<0.001). Incontinence rates at 3 and 12 months after RRP decreased from 67.6% to 10.1 and after RALP decreased from 53.4% to 5.4%. Positive surgical margin rates were non-significantly different in the RRP and RALP groups (30.3% and 37.2%, respectively). Overall postoperative potency rate at 12 months was not significant different in RRP and RALP groups (34.3% and 43.0%). Conclusions: RRP reproducing RALP was found to have surgical outcomes comparable to RALP. This technique might be adopted by experienced urologic surgeons as a standard procedure.