Perioperative complications of robotic radical prostatectomy after the learning curve

PURPOSE: We assessed the incidence of and analyzed factors that contributed to perioperative complications in patients undergoing robotic radical prostatectomy, that is Vattikuti Institute prostatectomy (VIP), at our institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recorded operative and postoperative data on 300 consecutive patients who underwent VIP at our institution during a 1-year period. All operations were performed by 1 of 2 surgeons (MM or JOP). We reviewed the complications seen in these patients. RESULTS: There was no operative mortality and no case was converted to open surgery. A total of 269 (89.7%) patients were considered to have an ideal postoperative course, ie they were discharged home within 48 hours with no unscheduled office visits or complications. There were 14 unscheduled postoperative visits (4.7%) for transient urinary retention after early catheter removal (13) or hematuria (1). There were 17 complications, of which 16 (5.3%) were related to surgery and 1 was related to anesthesia. A total of 11 complications (3.7%) were minor (grade I) and 5 (1.7%) were major (grade II). Of them 3 (1%) patients required reoperation. There were no grade III or IV complications. CONCLUSIONS: In our hands VIP is a safe operation with an overall complication rate of 5.3%, a major complication rate of less than 2% and a surgical re-intervention rate of 1%.