Pathologic analysis of capsular and incisional denudation and positive margin status in the development of a...

The aim of this study is to explore the use of pathologically confirmed capsular incision and denudation as a measure of adequacy of extirpation following robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). All patients who underwent RALP at the George Washington University Medical Center during the first 2 years of inception of the robotic prostatectomy program were included. All pathologic specimens were reviewed by a single pathologist. One hundred twenty-eight men who underwent RALP during the first 2 years were identified. Sixty-four patients underwent RALP during the first year (group 1) and all pathologic specimens were reviewed retrospectively. Sixty-four patients underwent RALP during the second year (group 2) after revision of our operative technique and all pathologic specimens were reviewed prospectively. Of patients in group 1, 18 (28%) had a positive surgical margin (PSM), and 18 (28%) with negative surgical margins were found to have capsular incision or denudation. In group 1, 32 (50%) patients had evidence of iatrogenic capsular violation. Group 2 consisted of 13 (20%) patients with a PSM and 9 (14%) margin-negative patients with capsular incision or denudation. Group 2 had a total of 22 (34%) patients with evidence of iatrogenic capsular violation. Overall reduction in positive margins was not statistically significant between the groups. Improvement in capsular incision/denudation rate and overall capsular violation between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.03 and <0.0055). Surgical margin status alone underestimates the overall quality of surgical resection after RALP because not all capsular violations result in a PSM. Surgeon-guided pathologic review in addition to intraoperative experience may improve oncologic success during the RALP learning curve.