title: Perioperative complications of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: the Montsouris 3-year experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We prospectively evaluated the morbidity, and minor and major complications of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy performed by a single surgical team.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 28, 1998 and February 28, 2001, 567 patients 42 to 77 years old (mean age plus or minus standard deviation 63.5 +/- 6) with clinically localized prostate cancer underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, including 458 (80.6%), without lymphadenectomy. Mean body mass index was 25.3 +/- 2.9 (range 17.3 to 37.5). American Society of Anesthesiologists score was 1 to 3 in 65%, 27% and 8% of cases, respectively. A total of 12 patients (2.1%) had undergone intra-abdominal surgery below the mesocolon and 40 had undergone urological surgery. Intraoperative and postoperative data were recorded as well as all complications and their severity score within the initial 30 days postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 105 complications were observed in 97 patients (17.1%), including 21 major (3.7%) and 83 minor (14.6%) complications. Of the patients 21 (3.7%) underwent reoperation for a postoperative complication, including 10 (1.76%) who required an intensive care unit stay. Seven cases (1.2%) were converted to conventional retropubic radical prostatectomy. Mean blood loss was 380 +/- 195 ml. and the overall transfusion rate was 4.9%. In 2 patients (0.3%) deep vein thrombosis was associated with another surgical complication but not with pulmonary embolism. Urological, bowel and hemorrhagic complications represented 66.6%, 16.2% and 7.6% (total 89.4%) of all complications, and 20%, 33.3% and 33.3% of all repeat interventions, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy was performed according to the defined protocol with no complications in 82.9% of patients. The morbidity of this approach compares favorably with that of retropubic surgery. Growing experience and knowledge sharing concerning the prevention and early management of these complications would make possible a further decrease in the morbidity of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guillonneau
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rozet
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cathelineau
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lay
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barret
authors.forename: Jean-Dominique
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Doublet
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baumert
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vallancien
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019990:Perioperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery