Background
The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of prostate biopsy technique (transrectal ultrasound (US)—prostate biopsy (PBx) versus multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) targeted prostate biopsy (MRI‐PBx) on intraoperative nerve‐sparing and the rate of secondary neurovascular‐bundle resection (SNR) in patients undergoing robot‐assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP). A real‐time investigation with a frozen‐section examination (NeuroSAFE) microscopically excluded or confirmed prostate cancer invasion of the nerve structures resulting in preservation of the neurovascular bundle or SNR. Additionally, we analyzed risk factors related to SNR, such as longer operation time and postoperative complications.
Methods
The total study cohort was stratified according to non‐nerve‐sparing versus nerve‐sparing RARP. Patients with nerve‐sparing approach were then stratified according to biopsy technique (PBx vs. MRI‐PBx). Further, we compared PBx versus MRI‐PBx according to SNR rate.
Results
We included a total of 470 consecutive patients, who underwent RARP for PCa at our institution between January 2016 and December 2019. Patients with a preoperative MRI‐PBx had a 2.12‐fold higher chance of successful nerve‐sparing (without SNR) compared to patients with PBx (p < 0.01). Patients with preoperative MRI‐PBx required 73% less intraoperative SNR compared to patients with PBx (p < 0.0001). Prior MRI‐PBx is thus a predictor for successful nerve‐sparing RARP approach.
Conclusion
Preoperative MRI‐PBx led to better oncological outcomes and less SNR. Young patients with good erectile function could benefit from a preoperative MRI‐PBx before nerve‐sparing RARP.
How to cite this article: Conrad L, Popeneciu I-V. Reply to Wei Qiang's et al. Letter to the Editor re: Impact of mpMRItargeted biopsy on intraoperative nerve-sparing (NeuroSAFE) during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. The
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.