The impact of prostate size, median lobe, and prior benign prostatic hyperplasia intervention on robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy: Technique and outcomes

Background: Large prostate size, median lobes, and prior benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) surgery may pose technical challenges during robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). Objective: To describe technical modifications to overcome BPH sequelae and associated outcomes. Design, settings, and participants: A retrospective study of prospective data on 951 RALP procedures performed from September 2005 to November 2010 was conducted. Outcomes were analyzed by prostate weight, prior BPH surgical intervention (n = 59), and median lobes >1 cm (n = 42). Surgical procedure: RALP. Measurements: Estimated blood loss (EBL), blood transfusions, operative time, positive surgical margin (PSM), and urinary and sexual function were measured. Results and limitations: In unadjusted analysis, men with larger prostates and median lobes experienced higher EBL (213.5 vs 176.5 ml; p < 0.001 and 236.4 vs 193.3 ml; p = 0.002), and larger prostates were associated with more transfusions (4 vs 1; p = 0.037). Operative times were longer for men with larger prostates (164.2 vs 149.1 min; p = 0.002), median lobes (185.8 vs 155.0 min; p = 0.004), and prior BPH surgical interventions (170.2 vs 155.4 min; p = 0.004). Men with prior BPH interventions experienced more prostate base PSM (5.1% vs 1.2%; p = 0.018) but similar overall PSM. In adjusted analyses, the presence of median lobes increased both EBL (p = 0.006) and operative times (p < 0.001), while prior BPH interventions also prolonged operative times (p = 0.014). However, prostate size did not affect EBL, PSM, or recovery of urinary or sexual function. Conclusions: Although BPH characteristics prolonged RALP procedure times and increased EBL, prostate size did not affect PSM or urinary and sexual function.