title: Morbidity of contemporary radical retropubic prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer.
abstract: Complication rates in 1,000 consecutive patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy for clinically localized prostate cancer between November 1989 and January 1992 were assessed and compared to complication rates in a historical group of patients operated on by primarily the same surgeons prior to 1987. In the contemporary series, there were no operative deaths, only 22% of patients required blood transfusion, and only six (0.6%) patients suffered rectal injuries. Early complications, including myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, bacteremia, and wound infection, occurred in less than 1% of patients. Vesical neck contracture, the most common late complication, developed in 87 patients (8.7%). At 1 year post-surgery, 80% of patients were completely continent, and fewer than 1% were totally incontinent.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic, USA.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Lerner
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Blute
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lieber
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zincke
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies