title: [Pelvic lymphadenectomy in prostate cancer: Should it be realized by laparoscopy?].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy in localized prostatic cancer is performed since the 1990s, lessens the postoperative complications and respects carcinologic's principles (No. lymph nodes removed and lymph nodes metastasis). In order to verify that these objectives are achieved, we compared our results of pelvic lymphadenectomy by laparotomy and by laparoscopy for the past 12 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1997 and June 2008, 36 (23.8%) patients underwent open pelvic lymphadenectomy and 76.16% (115 cases) laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy. We did a retrospective and comparative analysis of data including the preoperative characteristics, per- and postoperative complication as well pathologic results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperative data were comparable between both groups. The comparison of the peroperative data showed an increased bleeding volume in the open group (105.6±420.9mL; 12.1±96.1mL: P=0.001) and longer operative time in the laparoscopic group (103.7±83.9min; 132.8±40.9min: P=0.006). Postoperative complications were similar. Pathologic results showed a significantly more important number of lymph nodes removed in the open group (7.2±3.5; 5.7±3.2: P=0.022), but the positive rate similar in both groups (13.9%; 22.6%: P=0.258). In order to remove "the learning curve effect", we compared 36 open pelvic lymphadenectomy to the last 36 laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy. In the laparoscopic group the patients showed an upper Gleason score (6.3±1.1; 7±1: P=0.005); but there was no difference for the operative time, number of lymph nodes removed and the complications rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After training, laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy was similar to open pelvic lymphadenectomy.
authors.affiliation: Service d'urologie, CHU Bretonneau, 2, boulevard Tonnellé, 37044 Tours cedex 9, France. darwu@live.fr
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bodin
authors.forename: J-M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Boutin
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Haillot
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bruyere
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007813:Laparotomy; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010388:Pelvis; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies