Evidence from robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Surgical Oncology
• Robotic Surgery

Background:

• Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) is increasingly utilized for prostate cancer treatment.
• Evaluating the existing literature is crucial for understanding its efficacy and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive literature review on robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP).
• To assess the current evidence regarding surgical outcomes, complications, and functional recovery after RALP.

Main Methods:

• Extensive literature search across EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Web of Science databases.
• Inclusion of studies reporting on surgical technique, clinical, pathologic, and follow-up data for RALP.
• Analysis of data from 71 identified manuscripts, including both small and large surgical series.

Main Results:

• RALP is a feasible procedure with minimal blood loss, favorable complication rates, and short hospital stays.
• Positive surgical margin rates improve with experience, comparable to traditional methods.
• Postoperative continence rates are promising, though data on erectile function and oncologic outcomes are preliminary.

Conclusions:

• RALP demonstrates a short learning curve and positive short-term postoperative results, especially for continence.
• Further research is needed to fully elucidate long-term oncologic control and erectile function recovery.