title: The European Association of Urology Robotic Urology Section (ERUS) survey of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate surgeons adherence to current clinical practice, with the available evidence, for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and offer a baseline assessment to measure the impact of the Pasadena recommendations. Recently, the European Association of Urology Robotic Urology Section (ERUS) supported the Pasadena Consensus Conference on best practices in RARP.
  
  
  METHODS
  This survey was performed in January 2012. A specific questionnaire was sent, by e-mail, to 145 robotic surgeons who were included in the mailing-list of ERUS members and working in different urological institutions. Participating surgeons were invited to answer a multiple-choice questionnaire including 24-items evaluating the main RARP surgical steps.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 116 (79.4%) invited surgeons answered the questionnaire and accepted to participate to the ERUS survey. In all, 47 (40.5%) surgeons performed >100 RARPs; 41 (35.3%) between 50 and 100, and 28 (24.1%) <50 yearly. The transperitoneal, antegrade technique was the preferred approach. Minimising bladder neck dissection and the use of athermal dissection of the neurovascular bundles (NVBs) were also popular. There was more heterogeneity in the use of energy for seminal vesicle dissection, the preservation of the tips of the seminal vesicle and the choice between intra- and interfascial planes during the antero-lateral dissection of the NVBs. There was also large variability in the posterior and/or anterior reconstruction steps.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study is the first international survey evaluating surgeon preferences during RARP. Considering that the results were collected before the publication of the Pasadena recommendations, the data might be considered an important baseline evaluation to test the dissemination and effects of the Pasadena recommendations in subsequent years.
authors.affiliation: Oncological and Surgical Sciences, Urology Clinic, University of Padua, Padua, Italy. Vincenzo.ficarra@unipd.it
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ficarra
authors.forename: Peter N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Wiklund
authors.forename: Charles Henry
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Rochat
authors.forename: Prokar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dasgupta
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Challacombe
authors.forename: Prasanna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sooriakumaran
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siemer
authors.forename: Nazareno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suardi
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Novara
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mottrie
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D032921:Consensus; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D012371:Robotics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014572:Urology / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards