Robotic Radical Prostatectomy Outcomes and Adverse Events

Oncologic Outcomes

Surgery is a common choice to try to cure prostate cancer if it is not thought to have spread outside the prostate gland.

Depending on the surgical pathology report and follow-up PSA levels, some patients might need additional treatments.

Functional Outcomes

Urinary Incontinence: Recovers in most men over the first year, although residual stress incontinence is common. Severe urinary incontinence needing artificial urinary sphincter occurs in ≤ 2% of patients.

Erectile Dysfunction: Recovers over a 2- to 3-year course. Erectile function returns in about 50% of previously potent patients. This all depends on saving one or two neurovascular bundles. It might not be ontologically safe to save one or two of these nerves in some patients. Oral medications, penile injections, vacuum erection device, and penile prosthesis placement might be needed in some patients.

Dry ejaculate

Infertility

Adverse Events

Anesthesia reactions

Heart attack, stroke, Blood clots in the lungs or legs

Bleeding

Transfusion

Infections

Damage to surrounding tissue and organs

Lymphocele (fluid that has leaked from the lymph nodes)

Urine Leak

Wound complications

Hernia in future

Narrowing of the urethra or bladder neck