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Updated: Jun 27, 2026
Retzius-Sparing Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy
Published on: May 19, 2022
Robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy in Italy: perioperative data on the first 150 patients
Paolo Pierini1, Emanuele Baldassarre, Beatrice Lillaz
1Division of Urology, Regional Hospital, Aosta, Italy.
Background:
In 2004 we performed the first robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) at Aosta, Italy.
Methods:
Data about our first 150 RALPs are presented.
Results:
Mean patient age was 65.2 (range 51-75) years; mean preoperative PSA level 7.9 (range 1.8-25.0) ng/ml. Nerve sparing was performed in 109 cases (72.7%) with lymph nodes dissection in 27 (18.0%). Operative time: patients 1-50, mean 213.3 (range 185-290) min; patients 51-100, 207.3 (range 185-335) min; patients 101-150, 171.7 (range 123-270) min. Two procedures were converted to open. Mean blood loss was 235 (range 20-1000) ml with two blood transfusions. One patient was reoperated for anastomotic leakage. Four patients were treated by colostomy and rectal suture for rectal injury (n = 3) or recto-urethral fistula (n = 1). The overall complication incidence was 13.3% (20 events), while mortality was nil.
Conclusions:
The incidence of complications is slightly higher than in major pilot centres but it is comparable, hence RALP also appears feasible in our italian peripheral centre.
