THE VALUE OF LAPAROSCOPIC LYMPHADENECTOMY IN CONJUNCTION WITH RADICALPERINEAL OR RETROPUBIC PROSTATECTOMY

A total of 76 men with clinically localized prostate cancer underwent surgical treatment at our institution during an ii-month period. Of th e patients 26 underwent staging laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissect ion followed by radical perineal prostatectomy (group 1), 24 underwent laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection and radical retropubic pros tatectomy (group 2), and 26 underwent standard open lymphadenectomy an d radical retropubic prostatectomy (group 3). Group 1 patients experie nced statistically significantly less average blood loss (576 +/- 360 cc) than either group 2 (1,275 +/- 686.8) or 3 (1,100 +/- 459, p <0.00 1). Hospital stay was also significantly less in group 1, with a mean of 4.6 +/- 1.9 days compared to 9.6 +/- 4.6 and 7.25 +/- 2.06 days for groups 2 and 3, respectively (p <0.001). Our study supports the combi nation of laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection and radical perine al prostatectomy as a potentially less morbid approach to the surgical treatment of prostate cancer. However, no benefit was found for lapar oscopic staging in patients before radical retropubic prostatectomy.