Urinary incontinence is a common complication following robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). Urethral length has been identified as a factor affecting postoperative continence recovery. In this meta-analysis, we examined the association between use of the maximal urethral length preservation (MULP) technique and postoperative urinary continence in patients undergoing RARP. We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library up to December 31, 2023. The quality of the literature was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to synthesize data and calculate the odds ratio (OR) from eligible studies on continence and MULP. Six studies involving 1869 patients met the eligibility criteria. MULP was positively associated with both early continence (1 month after RARP; Z = 3.62, P = 0.003, OR = 3.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.68-5.73) and late continence (12 months after RARP; Z = 2.34, P = 0.019, OR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.13-3.90). Oncological outcomes indicated that MULP did not increase the overall positive surgical margin rate or the positive surgical margin status at the prostate apex (both P > 0.05). In conclusion, the use of the MULP technique in RARP significantly improved both early and late postoperative continence outcomes without compromising oncological outcomes.
Humans ; Prostatectomy/adverse effects* ; Robotic Surgical Procedures/methods* ; Male ; Urethra/surgery* ; Urinary Incontinence/prevention & control* ; Postoperative Complications/etiology* ; Prostatic Neoplasms/surgery* ; Organ Sparing Treatments/methods*

Despite surgical advancements, erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common consequence of radical prostatectomy (RP). This study aimed to evaluate the impact of early penile rehabilitation within a dedicated penile rehabilitation program on assisted and unassisted erectile function (EF) recovery. All patients who underwent RP and at least 1 year follow-up at penile rehabilitation program in the Department of Urology, OORR Policlinico Riuniti (Foggia, Italy) were included. Treatment involved phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is; tadalafil 20 mg, 1 tablet every other day), intracavernous injections (Caverject 5 µg, 1 vial per week), and daily use of vacuum erection devices (VEDs). Primary end point was EF recovery defined as International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) ≥21 with or without rehabilitation aids. IIEF-5 and prescribed treatments were prospectively collected at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, and 24 months. Among 570 eligible patients, 397 (69.6%) underwent rehabilitation. Patients who undergoing andro-rehabilitation were younger (65 months vs 70 months; P < 0.0001), had lower prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (5.9 ng ml -1 vs 6.2 ng ml -1 ; P = 0.04), and lower grade tumors ( P = 0.001) compared to the patients who did not undergo sexual rehabilitation after radical prostatectomy. Two-year EF recovery rates in patients undergoing andro-rehabilitation ranged from 75% (preoperative IIEF-5 >16) to 45% (preoperative IIEF-5 <16) with rehabilitation aids. Combination treatments (PDE5I+VEDs with or without intracavernous injections) showed the highest rates of EF recovery (up to 80% at 2 years). EF recovery without rehabilitation aids was significantly higher for patients with IIEF-5 >21 (IIEF-5 >21 [36%] vs IIEF-5 of 17-21 [18%]; P = 0.01). Subanalysis indicated a moderate benefit of rehabilitation in patients with preoperative IIEF-5 <16 who underwent bilateral nerve-sparing RP. Participation in intensive penile rehabilitation programs improves EF recovery in patients undergoing RP. Preserving the neurovascular bundles may be beneficial for patients with preoperative ED.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatectomy/rehabilitation* ; Middle Aged ; Erectile Dysfunction/drug therapy* ; Aged ; Recovery of Function ; Robotic Surgical Procedures/adverse effects* ; Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; Penile Erection ; Tadalafil/therapeutic use* ; Prostatic Neoplasms/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To explore the differences in perioperative clinical and pathological characteristics of patients with different pathological types of prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy, and to analyze the influencing factors that may affect the extraglandular invasion of ductal adenocarcinoma of the prostate. METHODS: Retrospective collection was made of the radical prostatectomy patients who were admitted to Peking University Third Hospital from December 2011 to April 2021. The patients were screened based on inclusion criteria to obtain basic clinical features and postoperative pathological results. According to the pathological results, the patients were divided into ductal adenocarcinoma group (mixed with ductal adenocarcinoma) and acinar adenocarcinoma group, and a 1 ∶1 propensity score matching was performed to compare the differences in clinical characteristics between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses of the factors related to extraglandular invasion were performed in the matched ductal adenocarcinoma groups. RESULTS: A total of 764 patients with prostate cancer were enrolled in this study, of which 62 patients were confirmed to have ductal adenocarcinoma components by postoperative pathology. There was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of the patients with a history of diabetes in baseline characteristics between the two groups before propensity score matching (29.5% vs. 17.7%, P=0.027). A total of 61 patients with simple acinar adenocarcinoma were successfully matched with the patients with ductal adenocarcinoma, and there was no statistically significant difference in baseline characteristics between the two groups after matching (P>0.05). The comparison of perioperative clinical and pathological features showed that International Society of Urology Pathology (ISUP) grade (P=0.003), pT stage (P=0.004), extraglandular invasion rate (P=0.018) and vascular thrombus rate (P=0.019) in ductal adenocarcinoma group were significantly higher than those in simple acinous adenocarcinoma group. Univariate analysis of the influence factors of extraglandular invasion showed that prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, prostate volume, ISUP grade, seminal vesicle invasion and perineural invasion might be the influencing factors of extraglandular invasion (P < 0.10). Binary Logistic regression analysis showed that perineural invasion was an independent factor of extraglandular invasion (OR=11.78, 95%CI: 1.97-70.56, P=0.007). CONCLUSION Prostatic ductal adenocarcinoma has a worse prognosis than simple acinar adenocarcinoma. Perineural invasion is the influencing factor of extraglandular invasion of ductal adenocarcinoma.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Prostatectomy ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Ductal/surgery* ; Propensity Score ; Adenocarcinoma/surgery*

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE

The increasing demand for cost-effective surgical techniques has driven innovations in robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). While single-port robotic surgery reduces invasiveness and improves cosmesis, its widespread use is limited by high costs and technical constraints. This study evaluates the safety, feasibility and cost-effectiveness of extraperitoneal single-port robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (espRARP) using a modified Da Vinci Si HD system, employing a wound protector and surgical glove as a low-cost multi-channel laparoscopic port.

Ten patients with localized prostate cancer underwent espRARP using a three-arm Da Vinci Si system and side docking to enhance instrument access. A homemade multi-channel port was constructed using an Alexis® wound protector and surgical gloves. Perioperative outcomes—including operative time, blood loss, complications and oncologic results were analyzed descriptively.

All cases were completed without conversion to open surgery. The mean operative time was 215.8 minutes with an estimated blood loss of 200 mL. No positive surgical margins were recorded, and 20% of patients exhibited pathological upgrading. The average hospital stay was 3.4 days. One patient developed a Clavien–Dindo II complication; no major complications occurred

This pilot study is limited by its small sample size (n = 10), single-surgeon, single institution design, short follow-up period, and absence of functional outcome assessment. Only descriptive analysis was performed without statistical comparison.

The modified espRARP technique using a low-cost glove-port and three-arm Da Vinci Si system is safe, feasible and cost-efficient. Comparable perioperative and oncologic outcomes to conventional multi-port and proprietary single-port systems were achieved at a fraction of the cost. This approach provides a practical and accessible alternative for robotic prostatectomy in resource-limited healthcare settings.

OBJECTIVES

To create a pilot urologic malignancy registry using demographic and clinical data of a cohort of patients newly diagnosed to have urologic malignancies in the year 2021.

This was a prospective cohort study conducted in four study sites: National Kidney and Transplant Institute, East Avenue Medical Center, UP-Philippine General Hospital and Batangas Medical Center

A total of 243 patients with newly diagnosed urologic cancers were enrolled. The median age was 61 years, with a wide range of 1 to 87 years. Most of the patients (81.47%) were male, while there were 45 females (18.52%) who had either urinary bladder, kidney or upper urothelial cancer. The most common type of malignancy was prostate cancer (34.57%), followed by kidney cancer (30.04%) and urinary bladder cancer (24.69%), consistent with the currently observed worldwide incidence. There were also 3 patients (1.23%) noted with multiple primaries. More than half of the patients (63.37%) received surgery as active treatment. After the two-year follow-up period, thirteen patients (5.35%) developed progressive disease, and 14 patients (5.76%) died.

This urologic cancer registry represents the first multi-center, investigator-initiated epidemiologic study of its kind in the Philippines. As a proof-of-concept (POC) project, it demonstrates the feasibility of establishing a national database capturing baseline data on the country’s most common urologic malignancies.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a significant health concern globally, necessitating effective treatment options. Typical treatment methods for early stage, particularly localized PCa, encompass radical procedures, such as radical prostatectomy (RP) and radiotherapy (RT), and nonradical focal therapy (FT). FT is a focused approach mainly used for treating small lesions limited to a specific zone of the prostate. Its objective is to achieve cancer control when minimizing damage to benign tissue. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is one of the most used modalities in FT for the management of PCa. The progress in HIFU technology showcases continuous advancements, offering clinicians a variety of strategies to cater to diverse patient requirements. The advancements include the development of transrectal and transurethral HIFU machines that offer enhanced treatment distances, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) fusion capabilities, real-time monitoring, and precise ablation. These improvements contribute to increased treatment effectiveness and better outcomes for patients. This narrative review aims to summarize the use of HIFU technology and its evolution, offering diverse options to clinicians, and explores the safety, effectiveness, and quality of different HIFU strategies, such as whole-gland ablation, hemigland ablation, and focal ablation. We conclude that nonwhole-gland HIFU offers similar cancer control with better short-term functional outcomes and fewer complications compared to whole-gland ablation. Combining HIFU with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) improves urinary function and reduces catheterization time. Focal ablation and hemigland ablation show promise in achieving cancer control when preserving continence and potency.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms/surgery* ; High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation/methods* ; Ultrasound, High-Intensity Focused, Transrectal/methods* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Treatment Outcome

The study aimed to test if Briganti's 2012 nomogram could be associated with the risk of prostate cancer (PCa) progression in European Association of Urology (EAU) intermediate-risk patients treated with robotic surgery. From January 2013 to December 2021, 527 consecutive patients belonging to the EAU intermediate-risk class were selected. Briganti's 2012 nomogram, which predicts the risk of pelvic lymph node invasion (PLNI), was assessed as a continuous and dichotomous variable that categorized up to the median of 3.0%. Disease progression defined as biochemical recurrence and/or metastatic progression was evaluated by Cox proportional hazards (univariate and multivariate analysis). After a median follow-up of 95.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 78.5-111.4), PCa progression occurred in 108 (20.5%) patients who were more likely to present with an unfavorable nomogram risk score, independently by the occurrence of unfavorable pathology including tumor upgrading and upstaging as well as PLNI. Accordingly, as Briganti's 2012 risk score increased, patients were more likely to experience disease progression (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.060; 95% CI: 1.021-1.100; P = 0.002); moreover, it also remained significant when dichotomized above a risk score of 3.0% (HR = 2.052; 95% CI: 1.298-3.243; P < 0.0001) after adjustment for clinical factors. In the studied risk population, PCa progression was independently predicted by Briganti's 2012 nomogram. Specifically, we found that patients were more likely to experience disease progression as their risk score increased. Because of the significant association between risk score and tumor behavior, the nomogram can further stratify intermediate-risk PCa patients, who represent a heterogeneous risk category for which different treatment paradigms exist.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms/surgery* ; Nomograms ; Disease Progression ; Robotic Surgical Procedures ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Prostatectomy/methods* ; Lymphatic Metastasis/pathology* ; Risk Assessment/methods* ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical significance of extended pelvic lymph node dissection (EPLND) under the robot-assisted laparoscope in the treatment of high-risk PCa. METHODS: This study included 29 cases of high-risk PCa treated by robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and EPLND from April 2020 to January 2023. We collected the general data on the patients, recorded the status of dissection of the lymph nodes and postoperative complications, and analyzed the significance of EPLND. RESULTS: The patients were aged (69.3±6.6) years old, with the preoperative PSA level of 8.43－434 μg/L, Gleason score (GS) 6 in 1, GS 7 in 9, and GS ≥8 in 19 cases. The operation time averaged (97.2±15.7) min, with the mean blood loss of (30.5±11.2) ml, and 3－42 (median = 13) lymph nodes dissected, less than 10 in 10 cases, 11－19 in 12, and more than 20 in 7. Positive pelvic lymph nodes (median = 4) were found in 13 cases, with a positive rate of 44.8%. Positive incisal margin was observed in 11 cases (37.9%), lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in 4 (13.8%), and perineural invasion (PNI) in another 4 (13.8%). Lymph node metastasis was significantly correlated with positive incisal margin (P<0.05), but not with LVI, PNI or age (P>0.05). No significant vascular or nerve injuries occurred during the operation. GS 6 was detected in 1, GS 7 in 7, and GS ≥8 in 21 cases postoperatively. CONCLUSION Robot-assisted laparoscopic EPLND is an important strategy for the treatment of high-risk PCa, which contributes to accurate pathological staging of the malignancy. However, evidence is lacking for its benefit to the survival of high-risk PCa patients, and more follow-up studies are needed to confirm its treatment effect.
Humans ; Male ; Lymph Node Excision/methods* ; Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology* ; Laparoscopy/methods* ; Robotic Surgical Procedures ; Aged ; Prostatectomy/methods* ; Pelvis ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Lymph Nodes/surgery* ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of normal-pressure drainage (norPD) and negative-pressure drainage (negPD) after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) in the treatment of PCa. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and follow-up data on 87 cases of PCa treated by LRP from October 2019 to October 2022, 46 receiving norPD and the other 41 negPD postoperatively. We indwelt an F20 pelvic drainage tube for each of the patients, which were connected to an anti-reflux drainage bag for those in the norPD group and a 200 ml negative pressure ball for those in the negPD group, and removed the tubes at the drainage volume ≤30 ml/d. We compared the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, drainage volume on the first day after surgery, total postoperative drainage volume, drainage tube-indwelling duration, drainage tube-related nursing time, urinary catheter removal time, wound healing time, and incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of operation time, intraoperative blood loss, wound healing time, and postoperative complications (P>0.05). The drainage volume on the first postoperative day and the total postoperative drainage volume were significantly lower, and the drainage tube-indwelling duration and drainage tube-related nursing time markedly shorter in the norPD than in the negPD group (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION Normal-pressure drainage is a safe and effective drainage method after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, which can significantly reduce the postoperative drainage volume, drainage tube-indwelling duration and drainage tube-related nursing time.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatectomy/methods* ; Laparoscopy ; Prostatic Neoplasms/surgery* ; Drainage/methods* ; Retrospective Studies ; Postoperative Complications ; Middle Aged ; Operative Time

OBJECTIVE: Constructing a predictive model for urinary incontinence after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) based on prostatic gland related MRI parameters. METHODS: In this study, 202 cases were included. All the patients were diagnosed with prostate cancer by prostate biopsy and underwent LRP surgery in Peking University Third Hospital. The preoperative MRI examination of all the patients was completed within 1 week before the prostate biopsy. Prostatic gland related parameters included prostate length, width, height, prostatic volume, intravesical prostatic protrusion length (IPPL), prostate apex shape, etc. From the first month after the operation, the recovery of urinary continence was followed up every month, and the recovery of urinary continence was based on the need not to use the urine pad all day long. Logistic multivariate regression analysis was used to analyze the influence of early postoperative recovery of urinary continence. Risk factors were used to draw the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves of each model to predict the recovery of postoperative urinary continence, and the difference of the area under the curve (AUC) was compared by DeLong test, and the clinical net benefit of the model was evaluated by decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: The average age of 202 patients was 69.0 (64.0, 75.5) years, the average prostate specific antigen (PSA) before puncture was 12.12 (7.36, 20.06) μg/L, and the Gleason score < 7 points and ≥ 7 points were 73 cases (36.2%) and 129 cases (63.9%) respectively, with 100 cases (49.5%) at T1/T2 clinical stage, and 102 cases (50.5%) at T3 stage. The prostatic volume measured by preoperative MRI was 35.4 (26.2, 51.1) mL, the ratio of the height to the width was 0.91 (0.77, 1.07), the membranous urethral length (MUL) was 15 (11, 16) mm, and the IPPL was 2 (0, 6) mm. The prostatic apex A-D subtypes were 67 cases (33.2%), 80 cases (39.6%), 24 cases (11.9%) and 31 cases (15.3%), respectively. The training set and validation set were 141 cases and 61 cases, respectively. The operations of all the patients were successfully completed, and the urinary continence rate was 59.4% (120/202) in the 3 months follow-up. The results of multivariate analysis of the training set showed that the MUL (P < 0.001), IPPL (P=0.017) and clinical stage (P=0.022) were independent risk factors for urinary incontinence in the early postoperative period (3 months). The nomogram and clinical decision curve were made according to the results of multivariate analysis. The AUC value of the training set was 0.885 (0.826, 0.944), and the AUC value of the validation set was 0.854 (0.757, 0.950). In the verification set, the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was performed on the model, and the Chi-square value was 5.426 (P=0.711). CONCLUSION Preoperative MUL, IPPL, and clinical stage are indepen-dent risk factors for incontinence after LRP. The nomogram developed based on the relevant parameters of MRI glands can effectively predict the recovery of early urinary continence after LRP. The results of this study require further large-scale clinical research to confirm.
Male ; Humans ; Prostate/surgery* ; Prostatectomy/adverse effects* ; Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology* ; Urinary Incontinence/etiology* ; Laparoscopy/methods* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/adverse effects* ; Recovery of Function ; Retrospective Studies