First 100 cases of transvesical single-port robotic radical prostatectomy

To describe the surgical technique and report the early outcomes of the transvesical (TV) approach to single-port (SP) robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

All procedures were performed at a single center by one surgeon. We identified the first 100 consecutive patients with clinically localized prostate cancer that underwent SP TV robot-assisted radical prostatectomy using the da Vinci SP robotic surgical system. Data were collected prospectively and analyzed with descriptive statistics. The primary outcomes assessed were postoperative urinary continence, rate of biochemical recurrence, and sexual function.

All procedures were performed without extra ports or conversion. The median age was 62.1 years and 49.0% of the patients had abdominal surgery history. The preoperative median prostate-specific antigen value and prostate volume were 5.0 ng/mL and 33.0 mL, respectively. There were no intraoperative complications. The median operative time and estimated blood loss were 212.5 min and 100.0 mL, respectively. A total of 92.0% of patients were discharged within 24.0 h, with an overall median length of stay of 5.6 h. Only 4.0% of patients required opioid prescriptions at discharge. The median Foley catheter duration was 3 days. Positive margins were present in 15.0% of cases. Median follow-up was 10.4 months. Continence rate was immediate after Foley removal in 49.0% of cases, 65.0% at 2 weeks, 77.4% at 6 weeks, 94.1% at 6 months, and 98.9% at 1 year. One case of biochemical recurrence (1.0%) was noted 3 months after surgery.

The SP TV approach for radical prostatectomy cases is a safe and feasible technique for patients with clinically localized prostate cancer. This technique offers advantages of short hospital stay, minimal narcotic use postoperatively, and promising early return of urinary continence, without compromising oncologic outcomes.