title: Radical prostatectomy: prospective assessment of mortality and morbidity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prospectively analyse the morbidity of radical prostatectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Morbidity data from 188 consecutive radical prostatectomy patients were collected prospectively. Mortality, intraoperative, early postoperative and late postoperative complications were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1.5% mortality. 3.7% suffered an intraoperative complication. Early postoperative problems were common (43%). Of those with greater than 1 year follow-up, 5.9% remained with some incontinence, and a further 11 patients had artificial sphincters implanted; 32% had narrowing of the anastomosis, requiring at least 1 dilation; 43% of patients retained their potency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that radical prostatectomy can be performed with minimal mortality and acceptable morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Erasmus University and Academic Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van den Ouden
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Schroeder
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology