title: Dorsal vein complex preserving technique for intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a novel dorsal vein complex preserving technique for intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and to evaluate its postoperative outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 109 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy by a single surgeon were evaluated, including 44 patients with dorsal vein complex preserving technique for intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, 20 patients with conventional intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and 45 patients with non-nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Functional outcomes were evaluated using a self-administered questionnaire (Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite). Continence was defined as zero to one security pad per day. Oncological outcomes were evaluated based on positive surgical margin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the dorsal vein complex preserving technique for intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy group, the continence rate was 57%, 77% and 95% at 1, 3 and 12 months, respectively. The continence rate in the conventional intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy group was 37%, 63% and 90%, and in the non-nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy group it was 23%, 57% and 82% at 1, 3, and 12 months, respectively. The dorsal vein complex preserving technique for intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy group showed a significantly earlier recovery from incontinence compared with that in the conventional intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and non-nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy groups (log-rank test, P = 0.044 and P < 0.001). Similarly, the dorsal vein complex preserving technique for intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy group tended to show a more early recovery in relation to urinary function of the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite. Regarding sexual function, there were no significant differences between the dorsal vein complex preserving technique for intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and conventional intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy groups. In pT2 patients, the positive surgical margin rate of the dorsal vein complex preserving technique for intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy group (11%) was similar to that of the other two groups (conventional intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy 7%; non-nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy 11%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dorsal vein complex preserving technique for intrafascial nerve-sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy technique provides early recovery from incontinence without adversely affecting the oncological outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan. a-hoshi@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoshi
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Usui
authors.forename: Yuuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomonaga
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanai
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nomoto
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Terachi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014521:Urethra / Q000098:blood supply / Q000294:innervation; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control