Laparoscopic versus open bilateral intrafascial nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy after TUR-P for incidental prostate cancer: surgical outcomes and effect on postoperative urinary continence and sexual potency

To evaluate the surgical and functional outcomes in nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (nsLRPT) and nerve-sparing retropubic radical prostatectomy (nsRRPT) after TUR-P for incidental prostate cancer. Between January 2003 and August 2011, 125 nsLRPT and 128 nsRRPT for incidental prostate cancer diagnosed after TUR-P were performed at our clinic. Demographic data, peri- and postoperative measurements and functional outcomes were compared. The mean operative time was 153.1 +/- A 35.4 min for nsLRPT and 122.5 +/- A 67.5 min for nsRRPT (p = 0.03). The mean catheterization time was 8 +/- A 1 days in the laparoscopic group and 11 +/- A 2 days in the open group (p = 0.02). Also, the length of hospitalization presents statistical significant difference in the two groups. Positive margins were detected in 2.4 and 4.7 % of patients with pT2c tumours in the laparoscopic and open groups, respectively (p = 0.09). At a mean follow-up of 26.9 +/- A 9.3 months for the nsLRPT group and of 27.8 +/- A 9.7 months for the nsRRPT group, all patients were alive with no evidence of tumour recurrence. Twelve months postoperatively, complete continence was reported in 96.8 % of patients who underwent an nsLRPT and in 89.4 % of patients in the nsRRPT group (p = 0.02). At that time, 74.4 % of patients in the nsLRPT group and 53.1 % in the nsRRPT group reported the ability to engage in sexual intercourse (p = 0.0004). nsLRPT after TUR-P, performed by expert surgeons, results to be a safe procedure with excellent functional outcomes with regard to the urinary continence and sexual potency.