title: Removing the specimen with traction during robotic radical prostatectomy does not cause a positive surgical margin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to gauge whether removal of a specimen with traction during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy causes a positive surgical margin or not.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and sixty-nine patients with localized prostate cancer who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy from 2009 to 2011 were included in the study. After dividing the patients into two groups, we recorded their characteristics and pre-op/post-op evaluations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 111 and 58 patients in groups 1 (with traction) and 2 (without traction), respectively. We evaluated the patients' ages, follow-up time, body mass index (BMI), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values, pre-op and post-op Gleason score values, pathological stage, positive surgical margin rates, and biochemical PSA recurrence rates. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups for age, pre-op PSA values, BMI, pre-op and post-op Gleason scores, positive surgical margin rates and biochemical recurrence rates. There was a significant difference between prostate weight, tumor volume, and clinical stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Removing the specimen with traction during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy does not cause a positive surgical margin. The incision should be as small as possible for cosmetic appearance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Altınova
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abidin Egemen
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: İşgören
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Medipol University, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ziya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Akbulut
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muhammet Fuat
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Özcan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdullah Erdem
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Canda
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali Fuat
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Atmaca
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Memorial Şişli Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mevlana Derya
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Balbay
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D000072662:Margins of Excision; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures; D014143:Traction
chemical_list: D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen
keywords: Prostate cancer; radical prostatectomy; specimen; traction