Applied stapling technique in radical retropubic prostatectomy: efficient, effective and efficacious

We demonstrated the efficiency, efficacy and effectiveness of the endoscopic gastrointestinal anastomosis (GIA) stapler in radical retropubic prostatectomy.

A total of 21 patients with organ confined prostate cancer on preoperative staging underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy. During these procedures we analyzed the applicability and efficacy of the endoscopic GIA vascular stapler to effect ligation, division and stapling of the dorsal vein complex and lateral pedicles of the prostate. This group was compared to 7 controls in whom we performed surgery for organ confined disease, using the stapler solely for the lateral prostatic pedicles or not at all depending on availability. One patient with localized muscle invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder underwent radical cystectomy using the endoscopic GIA stapler in a sequential fashion to ligate and divide all pedicles of the specimen.

Mean total operative time was 2 hours (range 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours 50 minutes) and average estimated blood loss was 400 cc. All patients were discharged from the hospital on postoperative day 3. To date 17 of the 21 patients are continent and 6 are potent.

Although not designed to replace the standard approach to radical retropubic prostatectomy, we believe that this technique makes the procedure easier and more approachable in the hands of the less experienced surgeon.