title: Local steroid application during nerve-sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect on potency rates after surgery of applying local steroids to the neurovascular bundles (NVBs) of the prostate after bilateral nerve-sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy (BNS-RRP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty potent men undergoing BNS-RRP for clinically localized prostate cancer were prospectively randomized equally into two groups. In group 1, 10 mL of betamethasone cream 0.1% was applied locally to both NVBs, and group 2 had only the usual BNS-RRP with no corticoid cream. Complications and potency were evaluated at 3, 6 and 12 months in all patients and compared between the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 12 months, 57% and 60% of patients were potent in group 1 and 2, respectively; the respective mean International Index of Erectile Function (5-item) scores were 14.76 and 15.43 (P = 0.59). Potency rates at 3, 6 and 12 months were not significantly different between the groups, and the continence rates at 12 months were also similar, with 93% and 90% of patients in groups 1 and 2 being continent, respectively. Ten and five patients in groups 1 and 2, respectively, required a blood transfusion (P = 0.23). There were no fistulae, wound dehiscence or rectal perforations. One patient in group 2 presented 4 months after RRP with a bladder neck contracture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Local application of betamethasone does not improve or expedite the recovery of erectile function after BNS-RRP, but there were no complications associated with its use.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Urology, University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Charalambos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deliveliotis
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delis
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papatsoris
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Antoniou
authors.forename: Ioannis M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Varkarakis
mesh_terms: D001623:Betamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000517:prevention & control; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010410:Penile Erection; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D001623:Betamethasone