Nerve-Sparing Laparoscopic Cystoprostatectomy Based on Inferior Hypogastric Plexus Dissection: Our Initial Experience

The aim of this study was to implement our technique for the initial dissection of the inferior hypogastric plexus and protection of the autonomic nerve supply to the corpora cavernosa in laparoscopic radical cystoprostatectomy with an orthotopic ileal neobladder and report the initial outcomes.

Eleven normally potent patients with preoperative cT2N0 bladder cancer who underwent bilateral nerve-sparing laparoscopic cystoprostatectomy performed by the same surgeon were selected from May 2018 to September 2020. In this procedure, the anterior part of the inferior hypogastric plexus was dissected first between the prehypogastric nerve fascia and rectal proper fascia medial to the distal ureter. Then the Denonvilliers' fascia and the nerves around the prostate were preserved according to current intrafascial principles. The preliminary operative, oncologic, and functional results are presented.

The median follow-up duration was 18 months. We observed early and late complications in 5 patients, but none exceeded grade III. Of the 11 patients, ten gained daytime continence (90.9%), and 8 (72.7%) showed nocturnal continence at the last follow-up. Regarding postoperative potency, 10 of the 11 patients (90.9%) remained potent with or without oral medications, excluding one who had partial tumescence but did not follow our recommendations regarding medication use. No local recurrence or positive surgical margins were noted.

In addition to emphasizing our cavernosal nerve-sparing procedure, this report on the precise dissection and protection of the inferior hypogastric plexus could be of clinical significance, providing potentially ideal short-term functional results.