Morbidity of pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical prostatectomy for prostatic cancer

Radical retroperitoneal pelvic lymphadenectomy is associated with rather minimal morbidity but, when combined with radical prostatectomy, the morbidity is increased. The only complication that seemed to be solely owing to the lymphadenectomy was lymphocele formation, which occurred in 10 per cent of the patients. This rate is below that reported in the gynecologic-oncology literature.