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Updated: Mar 3, 2026

Retzius-Sparing Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy
Published on: May 19, 2022
The Impact of Multiple Prostate Biopsies on Risk for Major Complications Following Radical Prostatectomy: A
Daniel Olvera-Posada1, Blayne Welk2, J Andrew McClure3
1Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Instituto de Cirugía, TEC Salud, Monterrey, Mexico.
Objective:
To evaluate the impact of multiple transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies (TRUS-Bx) before radical prostatectomy (RP) on surgical outcomes.
Materials And Methods:
Administrative databases were used to identify all patients who had a RP performed in the province of Ontario from April 1, 2002, to March 31, 2013. TRUS-Bx prior to RP were identified and patients were categorized as having one or more than one prior TRUS-Bx. The primary end point was a composite index of serious surgical complications. Secondary outcomes included oncological interventions, functional-related events, and general health service-related outcomes.
Results:
Among 27,637 patients, 4780 (17.3%) had ≥2 biopsies performed before RP. The proportion of patients who experienced the composite end point was similar between those with one TRUS-Bx compared to those with ≥2 TRUS-Bx (1.05% vs 1.19%, OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.85-1.52). Patients with ≥2 biopsies were more likely to have a perioperative blood transfusion compared to patients with only 1 biopsy (15.5% vs 12.8%, OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.15-1.37), while readmission rate and 30-day mortality were similar. The need for radiotherapy and androgen deprivation therapy within the first year after RP was higher in patients with a single biopsy. Patients with multiple TRUS-Bx were more likely to require post-RP urodynamic evaluation and bladder neck contracture-related interventions but were not at increased odds of surgery for incontinence or erectile dysfunction.
Conclusion:
Perioperative outcomes after RP are similar between men with single or multiple TRUS-Bx, although multiple TRUS-Bx were associated with an increased odds of perioperative blood transfusion.

