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Lymph node dissection in patients with prostate cancer may increase complications. An association of lymph node dissection with thromboembolic events was suggested. We compared the incidence and investigated predictors of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism among other complications in patients who did or did not undergo lymph node dissection during open and robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.Included in study were 3,544 patients between 2008 and 2011. The cohort was derived from LAPPRO, a multicenter, prospective, controlled trial. Data on adverse events were extracted from patient completed questionnaires. Our primary study outcome was the prevalence of deep venous thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism. Secondary outcomes were other types of 90-day adverse events and causes of hospital readmission.Lymph node dissection was performed in 547 patients (15.4%). It was associated with eightfold and sixfold greater risk of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism events compared to that in patients without lymph node dissection (RR 7.80, 95% CI 3.51-17.32 and 6.29, 95% CI 2.11-18.73, respectively). Factors predictive of thromboembolic events included a history of thrombosis, pT4 stage and Gleason score 8 or greater. Open radical prostatectomy and lymph node dissection carried a higher risk of deep venous thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism than robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RR 12.67, 95% CI 5.05-31.77 vs 7.52, 95% CI 2.84-19.88). In patients without lymph node dissection open radical prostatectomy increased the thromboembolic risk 3.8-fold (95% CI 1.42-9.99) compared to robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Lymph node dissection induced more wound, respiratory, cardiovascular and neuromusculoskeletal events. It also caused more readmissions than no lymph node dissection (14.6% vs 6.3%).Among other adverse events we found that lymph node dissection during radical prostatectomy increased the incidence of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Open surgery increased the risks more than robot-assisted surgery. This was most prominent in patients who were not treated with lymph node dissection.

Inguinal hernia after radical retropubic prostatectomy has been reported to occur in 7% to 21% of patients. We analyzed the impact of simultaneous pelvic lymph node dissection, preoperative inguinal hernia morbidity, postoperative anastomotic stricture, duration of surgery and patient age. We also compared the detection rate of inguinal hernia events in a retrospective patient file survey to that in a prospective patient administered questionnaire.A total of 498 patients underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy plus pelvic lymph node dissection and 166 underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy only. Mean followup was 40 months (median 37, range 3 to 85). All 664 patients were analyzed in the patient file survey. The patient administered questionnaire was mailed preoperatively, and after 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 36 months to 271 patients who underwent operation between 2001 and 2002. A total of 207 patients (76.4%) completed the preoperative questionnaire.The cumulative incidence of inguinal hernia after 24 months was 11.6% in the patient file survey and 15.7% in the patient administered questionnaire. In the patient file survey patient age was the only studied factor that significantly influenced risk. The patient file survey failed to detect half of the men with preoperative inguinal hernia morbidity and a third of post-radical retropubic prostatectomy inguinal hernias compared to the patient administered questionnaire. On patient administered questionnaire analysis preoperative inguinal hernia morbidity was a significant risk factor for postoperative inguinal hernia (log rank Mantel-Cox test p = 0.010).Previous inguinal hernia morbidity and age increase the risk of post-radical retropubic prostatectomy inguinal hernia. Simultaneous pelvic lymph node dissection, postoperative anastomotic stricture and duration of surgery were not significant risk factors in this study. The patient file survey is inferior to the patient administered questionnaire for detecting inguinal hernia events.