REVIEW  PROSTATE CANCER 

Minerva Chirurgica 2019 February;74(1):54-62

DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4733.18.07756-8

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Indications, surgical technique, and long-term results of nerve sparing

Levent TÜRKERİ ✉

Acıbadem University, Altunizade Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

Radical prostatectomy is frequently performed as a curative approach for clinically localized prostate cancer. In order to reduce the adverse effects of this operation on erectile function, preservation of neurovascular bundles was introduced as part of this operation. The decision of nerve sparing must be carefully tailored in each patient according to the stage of the disease. Patient selection has a critical importance in performing nerve sparing radical prostatectomy. In organ-confined cancers a nerve sparing surgery can be performed in the majority of the cases without jeopardizing tumor control. Individualized decision making in each case may allow more patients to receive a nerve sparing approach, and therefore, better functional outcomes. However, it continues to be difficult to predict postoperative functional outcomes accurately due to many influencing factors.

KEY WORDS: Prostatic neoplasms - Operative surgical procedures - Organ sparing treatments