Issue of prostate gland size, laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, and continence revisited.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of prostate gland size on the perioperative, pathologic, and continence outcomes after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP).


METHODS
144 LRPs for which 18-month continence data were available were performed by a single surgeon, and were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided initially into two groups based on final prostate gland size: group 1 (weight less than 50 g) and group 2 (weight 50 g or more). Group 2 patients were stratified into group IIa (weight 50 to 70 g) and Group IIb (weight 70 g or more) to further examine the effect of gland size on continence.


RESULTS
Larger glands had higher mean prostate-specific antigen (P <0.05) but among groups there were no significant differences in patient age, Gleason sum, pathological stage, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, or positive margin rate. We noted a significant difference in mean time to recovery of continence for patients with small glands versus large glands: group 1 (8.2 months), group 2 (9.9 months), group IIa (8.5 months), and group IIb (13.8 months) (P <0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Prostate gland size had no effect on perioperative outcomes. However, recovery of postoperative continence can be delayed in patients with large prostates.
Milhoua
Paul M
PM
Department of Urology, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10467, USA.
Koi
Philip T
PT
Lowe
Daniel
D
Ghavamian
Reza
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology