OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects and safety of transperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (TLRP) and extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (ELRP) in the treatment of localized prostate cancer.

METHODSWe searched the Cochrane Library, Medline, Chinese Journal Full-text Database, Wanfang and CBM for clinical controlled trials addressing TLRP and ELRP in the treatment of localized prostate cancer. Two independent reviewers extracted comparable data from eligible studies and performed meta-analysis with the Statal 2.0 software on the relevant indexes of operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative catheterization, postoperative intestinal function recovery, and postoperative hospital stay.

RESULTSNine clinical controlled trials with 942 cases were included in this analysis, 492 treated by TLRP and the other 450 by ELRP. Meta-analysis showed no statistically significant differences between the TLRP and ELRP groups in operation time (SMD = 0.60, 95% CI: -0.06,1.26), intraoperative blood loss (SMD = 0.01, 95% CI: -0.35, 0.36) , postoperative catheterization time (SMD = 0.10, 95% CI: -0.21, 0.40) and postoperative hospital stay (SMD = 0.45, 95% CI: -0.01, 0.91), except in the time of postoperative intestinal function recovery, which was significantly shorter in the ELRP than in the TLRP group (SMD = 1.18, 95% CI: 0.26, 2.10).

CONCLUSIONFor the treatment of localized prostate cancer, ELRP is similar to TLRP with respect to operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative catheterization and postoperative hospital stay, but superior to the latter in postoperative intestinal function recovery.