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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
Retzius-Sparing Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy
Published on: May 19, 2022
Salvage robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: indications and outcomes
1Division of Urology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 20015, USA. swilliams22@partners.org
Objectives:
Salvage robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (SRALP) has now become a feasible alternative to open prostatectomy in experienced hands. Herein we review the urologic literature for the indications and outcomes of SRALP.
Methods:
A comprehensive review of the peer reviewed literature was performed for reported cases of salvage robotic and open prostatectomy, with emphasis being on comparing oncologic outcomes.
Results:
Salvage prostatectomy, whether open or robotic, is a viable alternative for treatment of recurrent, localized, non-metastatic prostate cancer after failed primary radiotherapy. Although few reports of salvage robotic prostatectomy have been published with limited long-term follow-up, initial oncologic results seem at least comparable to the salvage open prostatectomy series. SRALP should be performed by centers with a dedicated and well experienced robotic urologic oncology program.
Conclusions:
SRALP is a feasible surgical treatment option for patients with recurrence after primary radiotherapy with preliminary oncologic outcomes comparable to the open approach. Further long-term follow-up is needed to validate these results.