Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2026
Retzius-Sparing Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy
Published on: May 19, 2022
[Erectile function and sexuality of partners after radical prostatectomy with robotics versus manual laparoscopy:
N Deffar1, N Koutlidis, L Cormier
1Service d'urologie, bocage central, 14, rue Gafarel, 21000 Dijon, France. nordine@deffar.info
Objective:
To compare the long-term sexual outcome of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) vs robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP).
Patients And Methods:
A questionnaire was sent to the 412 patients treated by the same surgeon by LRP or RALP from March 2004 to July 2009. Ninety-six patients were evaluated preoperatively with a good erectile function before surgery and a follow-up more than 24 months. Erectile function was evaluated by the IIEF-5, the QLQ-C30 PR25 questionnaires. Partner's sexuality was evaluated with a FSFI's based questionnaire.
Results:
There was no significant difference before surgery between two groups LRP and RALP. After surgery, the IIEF-5 without any treatment was better in RALP group than in LRP group (P=0.025). When a bilateral nerve sparing was performed, the IIEF-5 maximum was better in RALP group (P=0.002). For the partners, there was no difference between the two techniques and it appeared that communication about sexuality is the less altered, long time after a radical prostatectomy.
Conclusions:
In case of bilateral nerve sparing prostatectomy, an experimented operator in laparoscopic surgery should have better long-term erectile function results with RALP than LRP. Partner's sexuality modifications need more prospective studies to know its influence on erectile rehabilitation.
