198 Immediate Post-Operative PDE5i Therapy Improves Early Erectile Function Outcomes after Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (RARP)

Aim To assess whether the timing of post-operative Phosphodiesterase Inhibitor (PDE5i) therapy after Robot Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (RARP) is associated with a change in early erectile function, continence, or safety outcomes. Method Data was prospectively collected from a single surgeon in one tertiary centre and retrospectively evaluated. 158 patients were treated with PDE5i therapy post RARP over a two-year period. Results There were no significant differences in pre-operative characteristics between the therapy groups. Patients that had bilateral nerve sparing had a mean drop in Erectile Function (EF) score by 5.4 compared to 8.8 in the unilateral group. Additionally, 34.9% of bilateral nerve sparing patients returned to baseline compared to 12.1% of unilateral. Drop in EF scores and percentage return to baseline for unilateral nerve sparing was respectively 9 and 11.1% of immediate (day 1-2), 7 and 14.8% of early (day 3-14) and 9.7 and 9.5% of late (day >14) therapy (p = 0.9 and p = 0.6). For bilateral nerve sparing this was respectively 3.5 and 42.9% immediate therapy, 5.5 and 35.5% early therapy and 7.3 and 25% late therapy (p = 0.017 and p = 0.045). Pad free and social continence was achieved in 54% and 37% of those receiving immediate therapy, 60% and 33% for early therapy and 26% and 54% for late therapy. There were no differences in compliance, complication, or readmission outcomes. Conclusions Immediate PDE5i therapy should be considered in patients following nerve sparing RARP in order to maximise functional outcomes, especially in those undergoing bilateral nerve spare.

The effect of wide resection during radical prostatectomy on surgical margins

<p><strong>Introduction:</strong> The impact of nerve-sparing on positive surgical margins during radical prostatectomy (RP) remains unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of positive surgical margins with a wide resection compared to a nerve-sparing technique.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> A consecutive, single-surgeon patient cohort treated between August 2010 and November 2014 was reviewed. A standardized surgical approach of lobe-specific nerve-spare or wide resection was performed. Lobe-specific margin status and tumour stage were obtained from pathology reports. Univariable and multivariable associations between nerve management technique and lobe-specific positive surgical margin were determined.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> Of 388 prostate lobes, wide resection was performed in 105 (27%) and nerve-sparing in 283 (73%). In 273 lobes without extra-prostatic extension (EPE), 0 of 52 (0%) had a positive margin when wide resection was performed compared to 20 of 221 (9%) if nerve-sparing was performed (p=0.02). In 115 lobes with EPE, 11 of 53 (21%) had a positive margin if wide resection was performed compared to 28 of 62 (45%) if nerve-sparing was performed (p=0.006). In multivariable analysis, the risk of a positive margin was decreased among patients who received wide resection as compared to nerve-spare (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.26‒0.71; p=0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Surgical techniques to reduce positive surgical margins have become increasingly important as more patients with high-risk cancer are selecting surgery. The risk of a positive margin was greatly reduced using a standardized wide resection technique compared to nerve-sparing.</p>