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Radical prostatectomy in Britain and Ireland at the millennium
S Ravichandran1, P Dasgupta, C M Booth
1Preston Royal Hospital, Preston, Lancs, UK.
Objective:
To report a national questionnaire survey of all consultant urologists, providing a 'snapshot' of attitudes, current practice and referral patterns for radical prostatectomy (RP) in Britain and Ireland at the millennium.
Methods:
During 1999/2000 a simple questionnaire about RP was sent to the 487 urologists registered as full BAUS members. From 418 (86%) returns nine were excluded, to leave a study group of 409 urologists.
Results:
In all, 157 (38%) consultants were undertaking RP, whilst 252 (62%) were not; 29 (18.5%) performed > 20 operations/year, 44 (28%) undertook 11-20, but 84 (53.5%) carried out < or= 10. During the survey period, 741 (51%) RPs were conducted in teaching hospitals and 724 (49%) in district general hospitals. Of the 252 not undertaking RP, 23 (9%) stated they wished to learn the technique.
Conclusions:
This questionnaire suggests that the number of urologists undertaking RP in the UK and Ireland has stabilized but confirms that over half perform < or = 10/year; outcome data are now required. Any change towards concentrating cases will have significant consequences for patient distribution and resources.