title: Extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: A prospective 2-year single-surgeon experience with 171 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the safety and the oncological and functional efficacy of a prospective series of extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (ELRP).
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study included 171 consecutive patients (mean age 62.9 years, SD 6.5) who underwent ELRP by one surgeon between January 2008 and December 2009. The variables analysed were operative duration, blood loss, conversion rate, complications, hospital stay, duration of catheterisation, and the oncological results. We also assessed the rates of continence and erectile function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no conversions to open surgery. The mean (SD) operative duration was 112.7 (19.4) min, the blood loss was 372.1 (219.1) mL, the hospital stay was 6.8 (2.0) days, and the duration of catheterisation 6.7 (1.5) days. Collectively, 23.4% (40/171) of patients had positive surgical margins. Urinary continence at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months was achieved in 63.3% (95/150), 88.6% (78/88), in 90.3% (121/134) and 92.1% (117/127) of patients, respectively. The respective percentages for physiological erections after nerve-sparing ELRP at the same times were 11.8% (13/110), 11.8% (13/110), 18.2% (20/110) and 25.5% (28/110). The overall potency recovery rates (including patients on pharmacotherapy) were, respectively, 26.4% (29/110), 35.5% (39/110), 52.7% (58/110) and 69.1% (76/110), for the nerve-sparing procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ELRP gave good oncological and functional results, especially in terms of urinary continence.
authors.affiliation: Urology Department, Clinique Chirurgicale du Pré, Le Mans, France.
authors.forename: Tito Palmela
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Leitão
authors.affiliation: Urology Department, Clinique Chirurgicale du Pré, Le Mans, France.
authors.forename: Athanasios G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Papatsoris
authors.affiliation: Urology Department, Clinique Chirurgicale du Pré, Le Mans, France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mandron
keywords: (E)LRP, (extraperitoneal) laparoscopic radical prostatectomy; Continence; Erectile dysfunction; Laparoscopy; PDE5-I, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor; PGE2, prostaglandin E2; PSM, positive surgical margin; Prostate; Prostatectomy; RALP, robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy; RRP, radical retropubic prostatectomy