Vattikuti Institute prostatectomy: technical modifications in 2009.
BACKGROUND
Since we last published our technique of robotic prostatectomy, we have introduced three technical refinements: superveil nerve sparing, bladder drainage with a percutaneous suprapubic tube (PST), and limited node dissection of the obturator and internal iliac nodes in preference to the external iliac nodes in selected patients.


OBJECTIVE
To describe selection criteria, to explain the three techniques, and to evaluate functional and oncologic results.


METHODS
Single-institution study of 1151 radical prostatectomies performed from 2006 to 2008 by one surgeon.


METHODS
The superveil nerve-sparing technique spares nerves from the 11-o'clock position to the 1-o'clock position. The bladder is drained with a PST rather than a urethral catheter. For low- or intermediate-risk disease, limited lymphadenectomy concentrates on the internal iliac and obturator nodes, excluding the external iliac lymph nodes.


METHODS
Erectile function and patient comfort were evaluated using questionnaires administered by a third party. Lymph node yield was quantified by a qualified uropathologist.


CONCLUSIONS
At 6-18 months after surgery, 94% of men who attempted sexual intercourse were successful with a median Sexual Health Inventory For Men (SHIM) score of 18 out of 25. PST bladder drainage resulted in less patient discomfort; visual analog scores were 2 at 2 days after prostatectomy and 0 at 6 days after prostatectomy. The modified lymphadenectomy harvested few overall nodes, but it increased the yield of positive nodes >13-fold in patients with low-risk stratification (6.7% compared with 0.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
In this single-institution, single-surgeon study, these modifications improved erectile function outcomes, decreased catheter-associated discomfort, and enhanced the detection of positive nodes.
Menon
Mani
M
Vattikuti Urology Institute, Henry Ford Hospital and Henry Ford Health Systems, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
Shrivastava
Alok
A
Bhandari
Mahendra
M
Satyanarayana
Ramgopal
R
Siva
Siddharth
S
Agarwal
Piyush K
PK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007085:Ilium; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D012371:Robotics / Q000379:methods*