Radical retropubic prostatectomy after transurethral prostatic resection

In 16 patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy because of adenocarcinoma of the prostate after previous transurethral resection, the difficulty of the operation, the morbidity rate, and the survival time were evaluated. Eleven patients had tumours staged A2, 5 patients tumours staged B1. Duration of the operation and blood loss were almost similar to the group of patients who had not had prior transurethral resection of the prostate. The impotence rate was 100% due to difficulties preparing and preserving the neurovascular bundle. Only 1 patient had stress incontinence. One patient died after 2 years with rapid tumour progression, 1 patient shows local recurrence. Radical prostatectomy may be performed safely with an acceptable morbidity rate following transurethral resection of the prostate.     

Risk of urinary incontinence following radical prostatectomy

Of 143 prostatic cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy 38 had undergone transurethral resection of the prostate before the prostatectomy. After radical prostatectomy 5 per cent of the patients who did not have a resection and 8.1 per cent of those who did were severely incontinent. This difference is not statistically significant.     

Post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence: response to behavioral training

Urinary incontinence after prostatectomy can be psychologically and socially disabling. We reviewed our experience with 27 patients who were incontinent between 5 and 198 months after either radical retropubic, total perineal or transurethral prostatectomy. These patients were entered into our bladder behavior clinic, which was administered by nursing staff with physician supervision. Patients were strongly encouraged to discontinue the incontinence devices, and were then evaluated for the type and extent of incontinence. Perineal exercises were demonstrated in detail, tested for their correct use via simultaneous rectal and abdominal examination, and applied to the pattern of incontinence. Patients were evaluated frequently for compliance and their progress was followed with instruction repeated as needed. Pharmaceutical agents were not used. Among the 24 patients evaluable over-all improvement in the number of incontinent episodes was 56.6% (p less than 0.001). Two patients (8.3%) achieved total continence, 10 (42%) improved greatly, 4 showed moderate improvement and 8 (33%) showed essentially no change. Transurethral and perineal prostatectomy patients improved by 74 and 61%, respectively, versus only 33% in the radical retropubic group (p = 0.14). In addition, patients who previously underwent transurethral resection before total prostatectomy did worse (18%) than did those who did not (67%). We conclude that a significant number of patients who are incontinent after prostatectomy (especially those without a prior transurethral resection) can improve dramatically with a behavioral training program that provides a strong support system.     

Significance of striated muscle in curettings of the prostate

The histological specimens from 70 patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate were reviewed to determine the presence of striated muscle. The patients were evaluated prospectively with preoperative and postoperative symptom analysis and uroflowmetry. Striated muscle was found in 22 of the 70 specimens (31 per cent), generally only in small amounts. No significant morbidity, such as incontinence, was associated with the presence of striated muscle in the specimens. Small amounts of striated muscle in curettings from transurethral prostatectomy can be regarded as incidental and clinically insignificant.     

Incidental carcinoma of the prostate: significance of staging transurethral resection

We compared the results of staging by a second circumferential transurethral resection and/or transperineal needle biopsy in 42 patients with stage A prostatic adenocarcinoma on initial transurethral resection (defined as tumor of low grade, Gleason sum 2 to 4, and low volume, less than 5 per cent of the specimen or less than 3 foci). Transurethral resection only was done in 16 patients, transperineal needle biopsy only in 2 and both procedures in 24. In the 24 patients who underwent both procedures residual carcinoma was identified by transurethral resection in 6 and confirmed by transperineal needle biopsy in only 1. Thirty-two patients (76 per cent) had no residual carcinoma. Of the 10 patients (24 per cent) with residual carcinoma 5 underwent radical prostatectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy, 1 had interstitial irradiation with pelvic lymphadenectomy and 1 had pelvic lymphadenectomy only. No lymphatic metastases were detected; persistent carcinoma confined to the prostate was noted in all 5 patients who had undergone radical prostatectomy and 3 of these tumors were upstaged because of higher grade and/or volume. We conclude that residual carcinoma cannot be assessed accurately with transperineal needle biopsy, whereas transurethral resection staging enabled us to define a substantial number of our patients (24 per cent) with persistent disease. Importantly, upstaging by either low volume/high grade or high volume carcinoma was identified in 3 patients at the time of radical prostatectomy. However, the true stage and prognosis of those patients with persistent low volume and low grade prostatic carcinoma remain to be determined.     

Technical nuances and surgical results of radical retropubic prostatectomy in 150 patients

We reviewed the surgical results of radical retropubic prostatectomy in 150 patients, of whom 37 had undergone transurethral resection of the prostate. The number and type of complications in our series compared favorably to those reported in other series: only 15 of our last 100 patients had complications, most of which were minor. Incontinence occurred in 2 of our last 100 patients and there were no symptomatic urethral strictures. Complications were similar between patients who had and those who had not undergone transurethral resection of the prostate. Several technical considerations that contribute to these results are discussed, especially the use of perineal pressure to facilitate hemostasis and the technique of vesicourethral anastomosis. Radical retropubic prostatectomy is a relatively well tolerated procedure with low morbidity.     

Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in patients following transurethral resection of the prostate

OBJECTIVES: Previous transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) was reported to impose difficulties during open radical prostatectomy. We describe our experience in laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) following transurethral resection of the prostate. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The series included 35 patients: 22 patients underwent transperitoneal LRP (tpLRP) and 13 underwent extraperitoneal LRP (epLRP). The minimal interval between TURP and laparoscopy was 3 months. Patients' charts were reviewed for their preoperative characteristics, intraoperative difficulties and complications, and outcome. RESULTS: Patients' mean age was 67.5+/-4.4 years. 12 patients were cT1a,b and 23 patients were cT1c/T2. Twenty-two patients underwent tpLRP and 13 underwent epLRP. No statistical difference was found between the preoperative characteristics and the pathological results of cT1a,b vs. T1c/cT2 patients, or tpLRP vs. epLRP patients. Thirty-three procedures were completed laparoscopically and 2 were converted to open surgery. Perioperative complications included two leaking anastomoses, prolonged lymph drainage in 1 case, atelectasis (n=1) and duodenal ulcer (n=1). Twelve positive margins were noted, half of them in pT2 tumors. The mean follow-up was 28.5 months. Twenty-five of 35 patients had more than 12 months of follow-up. Among them 19 patients were completely continent (76%) and 6 (24%), reported mild stress incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: Although LRP following TURP is sometimes more technically difficult, simple modifications in the operative strategy help facilitate surgery. LRP following TURP favorably compares to open radical prostatectomy after TURP and laparoscopy in non-TURP patients.     

Acute urinary retention associated with prostatic carcinoma

We describe the prospective evaluation of 90 patients seen at 2 medical centers who presented with acute urinary retention. All patients had a pre-retention history obtained, as well as careful prostate examination, perineal prostate biopsy and followup treatment or monitoring. Prostate cancer was found in 12 of the 90 patients (13.3 per cent), while 1 had metastatic leukemia to the prostate. Of the 90 patients 69 (76.7 per cent) had a palpably benign prostate and 2 malignancies (2.9 per cent) were diagnosed, while 11 malignancies occurred in 21 patients (52.4 per cent) with a suspicious examination. A total of 46 patients (51.1 per cent) underwent further prostate resection and no malignancy was found in any of these specimens: 43 underwent transurethral resection (24.9 gm. average), while 3 underwent open prostatectomy (97 gm. average). Other etiologies of acute retention included benign hyperplasia, other underlying illness, medical procedures, medications, prostatitis and prostatic infarction. Among the 44 patients who did not undergo prostatectomy 13 had treatment of the diagnosed cancer, 9 had resolution of retention and symptoms without intervention, 9 remained catheterized due to severe medical problems, 8 were treated for prostatitis, 2 had discontinuation of sympathomimetic drugs and 1 each underwent urethrotomy, bladder neck incision and resolution of prostatic infarction. In contrast to the older literature in which approximately 25 per cent of the patients presenting with acute urinary retention had prostate cancer, our data suggest a lower incidence. Prostatic biopsy for patients who present with acute urinary retention and a benign examination does not appear to be justified.     

Pitfalls in preoperative staging in prostate cancer

Clinical staging in 60 patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate was compared with pathologic staging to identify factors which may contribute to staging errors. Understaging was directly related to tumor stage and was documented in 0 per cent of A2, 26.5 per cent of B1, and 66.7 per cent of B2 patients. Capsular invasion was found in 11.8 per cent of B1 and 52.4 per cent of B2 patients, seminal vesicle extension in 17.7 per cent of B1 and 52.4 per cent of B2 patients, and lymph node metastases in 2.9 per cent of B1 and 28.6 per cent of B2 patients. The majority of patients who had unnoticed gross extension of the tumor beyond the prostate underwent transurethral resection of the prostate or failed irradiation therapy prior to radical prostatectomy. The results suggest that intraprostatic or periprostatic changes caused by previous treatment to the prostate may interfere with the preoperative staging.     

Impact of anatomical radical prostatectomy on urinary continence

Urinary continence following an anatomical approach to radical prostatectomy was evaluated in 593 consecutive patients, 547 (92%) of whom achieved complete urinary control. Stress incontinence was present in 46 patients (8%), of whom 34 (6%) wore 1 or fewer pads per day and 2 (0.3%) required placement of an artificial sphincter. No patient was totally incontinent. Age, weight of the prostate, prior transurethral resection of the prostate, pathological stage and preservation or wide excision of the neurovascular bundles had no significant influence on preservation of urinary control. These data suggest that anatomical factors rather than preservation of autonomic innervation may be responsible for the improved urinary control associated with an anatomical approach to radical prostatectomy.     

Can stage A1 tumor extent be predicted by transurethral resection tumor volume, per cent or grade? A study of 64 stage A1 radical prostatectomies with comparison to prostates removed for stages A2 and B disease

We studied 64 totally embedded radical prostatectomy specimens of stage A1 prostate cancer. The transurethral resection specimens were studied and compared to previously studied stages A2 and B cancer in which tumor volumes also were calculated. At radical prostatectomy 6% of the specimens had no residual cancer, 74% had minimal cancer and 20% had substantial cancer. Although most stages A2 and B tumors were larger, there was overlap among all stages. Transurethral resection tumor volume, per cent and grade were not statistically correlated with either radical prostatectomy residual tumor volume, or whether tumor was classified as minimal or substantial. Gleason sum 2 to 4 versus 5 to 7 tumor on transurethral resection showed no difference in predicting radical prostatectomy residual tumor or minimal versus substantial tumor status. Because 20% of all stage A1 cancers have substantial tumor at radical prostatectomy unpredictable by transurethral resection, radical prostatectomy remains an option for young men with stage A1 prostate cancer.     

A randomized controlled trial comparing transurethral resection of the prostate,contact laser prostatectomy and electrovaporization in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia: analysis of subjective changes,morbidity and mortality

PURPOSE: We analyze subjective changes, morbidity and mortality in men with lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) after transurethral resection of the prostate, contact laser prostatectomy and electrovaporization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted on men with lower urinary tract symptoms, who met the criteria of the International Scientific Committee on BPH, had a prostate volume between 20 and 65 ml., and had Sch?fer's obstruction grade 2 or greater. Objective morbidity was recorded for up to 12 months. Subjective morbidity was measured by a questionnaire completed by patients. Subjective changes were quantified using the International Prostate Symptom Score, Symptom Problem Index, Quality of Life question and BPH Impact Index. These indexes and the morbidity questionnaire were measured weekly for the first 6 weeks postoperatively and then at 3, 6 and 12 months. RESULTS: Transurethral prostatic resection was analyzed in 50 men, laser treatment in 45 and electrovaporization in 46. Baseline characteristics, and changes in the symptom scores up to 12 months postoperatively were similar. Perioperative blood loss and perforation were greatest in the resection group, and retention was greatest in the laser group. During the first 6 postoperative weeks there was less pain and less hematuria after resection, and less incontinence after laser prostatectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Subjective changes are similar for transurethral prostatic resection, contact laser and electrovaporization. In the first 6 weeks after treatment there are only slight differences in pain, hematuria and incontinence among the therapies.     

Potency-sparing radical perineal prostatectomy: anatomy, surgical technique and initial results

By integrating a re-examination of perineal anatomy with the recently described anatomy of the pelvic nerve plexus and the cavernous nerves, a modification of radical perineal prostatectomy that can preserve potency has been developed. In 16 patients who underwent this procedure immediately after bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy the traditional low morbidity of radical perineal prostatectomy was retained, and potency was preserved in 5 of 9 patients (56 per cent), including all whose tumor was confined within the specimen margins. Review of the anatomy of the pelvic fascia also demonstrates that additional fascia around the lateral and dorsal surfaces of the prostate can be removed during radical perineal prostatectomy when one is willing to sacrifice the cavernous nerves to achieve a more radical excision of the prostate.     

Post-prostatectomy continence in the parkinsonian patient: the significance of poor voluntary sphincter control

A retrospective urodynamic study of 50 parkinsonian patients was done to determine the incidence and causes of post-prostatectomy incontinence. At presentation 22 per cent of the patients were incontinent. In 36 patients who underwent transurethral prostatectomy the incontinence rate was 17 per cent preoperatively and 28 per cent postoperatively. There was a clear association between normal voluntary sphincter control and urinary continence. After transurethral prostatectomy 5 of 6 patients continent preoperatively (83 per cent) who had abnormal sphincter control became incontinent compared to 1 of 24 (4.2 per cent) who had normal sphincter control. We conclude that the major risk of incontinence following prostatectomy in the parkinsonian patient is associated with lack of voluntary sphincter control.     

Age at surgery, educational level and long-term urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy

Study Type – Harm (case series) Level of Evidence 4 What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add? Several factors, including age, body mass index (BMI), prostate size and previous transurethral resection of the prostate, have been suggested to play a part in determining the risk of urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy. Results relating to the importance of each factor have been conflicting, so we need more data to be able to identify the relevant factors. In this consecutive series, with information from 1179 patients who had undergone radical prostatectomy, age at the time of surgery, educational level, respiratory disease and salvage radiation therapy predicted the occurrence of long‐term urinary incontinence. Increasing age predicted the risk in an exponential manner, and the data indicate a correlation across all educational levels. There was no certain association between previous transurethral resection of the prostate, increased BMI or prostate size and urinary incontinence.

OBJECTIVE

? To identify predictors for long‐term urinary leakage after radical prostatectomy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

? A consecutive series of 1411 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (open surgery or robot‐assisted laparoscopic surgery) at Karolinska University Hospital between 2002 and 2006 were invited to complete a study‐specific questionnaire. ? Urinary leakage was defined as use of two or more pads per day.

RESULTS

? Questionnaires were received from 1288 (91%) patients with a median follow‐up of 2.2 years. Age at surgery predicts in an exponential manner long‐term urinary incontinence at follow‐up with an estimated relative increase of 6% per year. ? Among the oldest patients, 19% had urinary incontinence compared with 6% in the youngest age group, translating to a prevalence ratio of 2.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5–8.1). ? Low educational level, as compared with high, yielded an increased age‐adjusted prevalence ratio of 2.5 (95% CI, 1.7–3.9). ? Patients who had undergone salvage radiation therapy had an increased prevalence of urinary incontinence (2.5; 95% CI, 1.6–3.8), as did those with respiratory disease (2.4; 95% CI, 1.3–4.4). ? Body mass index, prostate weight, presence of diabetes or previous transurethral resection did not appear to influence the prevalence of urinary incontinence.

CONCLUSIONS

? In this series, a patient’s age at radical prostatectomy influenced, in an exponential manner, his risk of long‐term urinary incontinence. ? Other predictors are low educational level, salvage radiation therapy and respiratory disease. ? Intervention studies are needed to understand if these data are relevant to the prevalence of urinary leakage if a radical prostatectomy is postponed in an active monitoring programme.     

Morbidity and mortality of local failure after definitive therapy for prostate cancer

We reviewed our experience with morbidity and mortality associated with clinical local failure after definitive therapy for adenocarcinoma of the prostate by interstitial 125iodine implantation, external beam radiation therapy or radical prostatectomy. Morbid complications included unilateral ureteral obstruction; bladder obstruction and/or incontinence requiring treatment by transurethral resection, or placement of a urethral or suprapubic catheter; hematuria requiring intervention for clot evacuation or fulguration, and perineal and/or pelvic pain. Lethal complications included bilateral ureteral obstruction or bowel obstruction. We treated 108 patients with 125iodine, 178 with external beam radiotherapy and 67 with radical prostatectomy. Clinical local failure occurred in 26 per cent of the 125iodine, 17 per cent of the external beam radiotherapy and 12 per cent of the radical prostatectomy groups. The total incidence of local failure with 125iodine was statistically higher than for radical prostatectomy. Stage C and poorly differentiated tumors were associated with a statistically higher incidence of local failure compared to lower stage and grade tumors. However, within each stage and grade there was no significant difference in local failure between treatment modalities. There was negligible morbidity or mortality secondary to local failure associated with stage A2, stage B1 or well differentiated tumors regardless of treatment modality. There was no difference in the morbidity and mortality between treatment modalities for stage C or poorly differentiated tumors. However, for stage B2 or moderately differentiated tumors treated by 125iodine implantation there was a statistically greater incidence of morbidity and mortality than that associated with external beam radiotherapy and radical prostatectomy. Our observations with regard to selection of primary monotherapy options that provide local tumor control are as follows. Stage A2, stage B1 or well differentiated tumors can be well controlled by all 3 treatment modalities. 125Iodine is associated with local failure-related morbidity and mortality for stage B2 or moderately differentiated tumors, which are statistically higher than for external beam radiotherapy and radical prostatectomy, and therefore, these latter are the preferred treatment. Radical prostatectomy and 125iodine for stage C tumors are associated with a trend to higher local failure, and related morbidity and mortality than is external beam radiotherapy. However, longer followup of the external beam radiotherapy series is necessary to confirm this observation.     

Transurethral resection versus needle biopsy prior to radical prostatectomy for stage C prostate cancer. Influence on progression and survival

Previous reports have claimed that transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) preceding definitive radiation therapy for patients with Stage C prostate cancer promotes the risk of distant metastasis and increases the mortality rate. A total of 490 patients with pathologic Stage C adenocarcinoma of the prostate treated by radical prostatectomy were studied. Median time to follow-up was 4.6 years. Comparison was made between patients who had TURP within the six months preceding prostatectomy (n = 54) and those who had needle biopsy (n = 437) prior to operation. No significant differences were noted in local recurrence of disease, systemic progression of disease, disease-free interval, and overall and cause-specific survival, even after adjustment for clinical (adjuvant treatment) and pathologic prognostic variables. Our data suggest that for patients with pathologic Stage C prostate cancer treated by radical surgery, preoperative TURP is not associated with unfavorable outcome.     

Perioperative morbidity of the extended radical perineal prostatectomy

PURPOSE: Perioperative morbidity is an essential indicator for the quality of an operative technique. This fact is especially important in radical prostatectomy since different treatment modalities may provide similar outcome in terms of local tumor control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The conventional type of radical perineal prostatectomy is associated with a significant percentage of positive surgical margins and was therefore substituted by a modified extended radical perineal prostatectomy at our institution. This procedure which includes partial resection of the dorsal vein complex and extrafascial resection of the seminal vesicals was performed in 200 patients with clinical T1 to T3 prostate cancer. The medical records were retrospectively reviewed for perioperative morbidity. RESULTS: There was no perioperative mortality and only 7% of the patients experienced postoperative complications. Blood substitution was indicated in 14% of the patients and could be reduced to 4% in the last 50 patients. The reintervention rate was 2.5% including 3 patients in whom a rectocutaneous fistula had to be repaired. The suction drainage was removed in 92% patients within 5 days. The indwelling catheter stayed in place for less than 14 days in 89% of all patients and was removed as early as after 2-7 days in 92% of the last 50 patients. Anastomotic strictures were observed in 8 (5%) of 160 patients followed for more than 6 months. 87.4% of patients were considered continent after at least 6 months follow-up. However, pad use was reported in 33.6%. CONCLUSION: The extended type of radical perineal prostatectomy provides excellent results in terms of perioperative morbidity, although a significant learning curve can be noted, which is indicated by blood substitution and duration of necessary catheter drainage. Since the rate of positive surgical margins in pT3 tumors is low (21%) and iatrogenic positive margins in pT2 tumors are avoided, this type of prostatectomy should be performed in case a potency sparing procedure is not indicated.     

Bulbourethral sling. The experience of our service

ObjectivesThe authors present the clinic results obtained with the bulbourethral sling application with pubic bone anchorage (Invance^®) in patients with stress urinary incontinence.Material and methodsFrom July to December 2003, 10 slings were implanted in men between the 60’s and the 83 years old (average 72,6 years), whose incontinence appeared after prostatic surgery (retro pubic radical prostatectomy, perineal radical prostatectomy, radical cystoprostatectomy with Camey II neobladder, transurethral resection, transvesical prostate adenomectomy).ResultsAfter 9 months follow-up (3 to 7 months), 8 patients (80%) are continent (without need of using any pad) and 2 (20%) show minimum leakage with effort (need of 1 to 2 daily pads). All are satisfied with the surgery result. Two patients referred perineal pain, which was solved with Paracetamol. There was no case of perineal haematoma, infection, rejection or urethral erosion.ConclusionsConclusion: The bulbourethral sling with bone anchorage is a rather invasive procedure, of easy technical execution, with high continence rates and associated to low morbidity. Although the presented results been an incentive to the technique prolongation, it would be necessary a higher tracking: and higher global experience in order that this sling affirm and transform itself in an alternative to the artificial sphincter in selected cases.     

Late urethrographic changes after transurethral resection of prostate

Radiographic changes in the male urethra one year after transurethral resection of the prostate were studied in 188 consecutive patients. Resections were performed either via the entire urethra or via perineal urethrostomy. The incidence of definite urethrographic changes was 20.2 per cent in the entire group and 27 per cent for patients who had resection via the entire urethra — significantly less than that reported when the urethrograms were performed earlier, at three or four months, after resection. The series is analyzed to detect the effect of the urethroscope and/or Foley catheter on the incidence and severity of these changes.