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Potency preservation is one of the principal concerns surrounding newer developments in the management of organ confined carcinoma prostate. Nerve sparing techniques may not solely preserve erectile function and it is known that vascular factors may be an etiology of the dysfunction. The role of accessory pudendal arteries in the etiology and prevention of erectile dysfunction after radical prostatectomy is at present unclear. We reviewed pudendal angiograms in patients with erectile dysfunction to evaluate the prevalence and importance of these vessels.Selective pudendal pharmacoangiograms were obtained in 79 consecutive patients with a history of erectile dysfunction. The aim was to identify accessory pudendal arteries, their origin and their significance relative to all identifiable pudendal arteries and the dorsal penile artery with respect to penile arterial inflow.An accessory pudendal artery was identified in 28 (35%) of the patients. The most common origin was the obturator artery. In 15 of the 28 men (54%) in whom an accessory artery was identified it appeared angiographically to be the dominant penile artery. In 3 patients it was apparently the only major arterial inflow to the penis.Accessory pudendal arteries may be identifiable with pharmacoangiograms in approximately a third of all men. Because they may be the dominant source of blood supply to the penis in some cases, their preservation during radical prostatectomy could be critical to erectile function following radical prostatectomy.

We compared the positive surgical margin rate of 2.5x and 4.3x optical loupe magnification with associated technical improvement during open radical retropubic prostatectomy.From January 2, 2004 to September 16, 2005, 511 consecutive patients underwent open radical retropubic prostatectomy, as performed by 1 surgeon. Because 10 patients refused authorization for a retrospective chart review, 501 were evaluable. For the first 265 patients 2.5x power loupes were used and for the subsequent 236 we used 4.3x power loupes. We used the chi-square test for univariate analysis, followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for commonly recognized predictors of positive surgical margins in the 2 successive cohorts. Focusing on the apex, which was the most commonly reported site of positive surgical margins, we include operative video segments mimicking 4.3x magnification to demonstrate the surgical precision possible at 4.3x for managing the periurethral fascial bands of Walsh and urethral transection at the prostato-urethral junction.Positive surgical margins were identified in 39 of 265 patients (14.7%) at 2.5x and in 12 of 236 (5.1%) at 4.3x. Apical positive surgical margins were identified in 25 of 265 patients (9.4%) at 2.5x and in 5 of 236 (2.1%) at 4.3x. On multivariate analysis 4.3x magnification was independently associated with a 75% decrease in the odds of a positive surgical margin overall and in the apex alone (p0.001 and 0.003, respectively).This exploratory retrospective study suggests that, compared with 2.5x magnification, the use of 4.3x magnification with technical refinements that are not possible or deemed safe at 2.5x resulted in a substantial decrease in the positive surgical margin rate.

This study was performed to evaluate the results and prognostic factors associated with radiotherapy for a detectable serum prostate specific antigen level after radical prostatectomy.From July 1987 through July 2003, 368 patients received radiotherapy for a detectable prostate specific antigen level (biochemical relapse) as the sole evidence of recurrence after radical prostatectomy for node negative prostate cancer. Estimated survival and relapse-free probabilities were obtained via Kaplan-Meier estimation. Associations of patient factors with survival and biochemical relapse were investigated using Cox proportional hazards models.With a median followup of 5 years the 5 and 8-year freedom from biochemical relapse were an estimated 46% (95% CI 41%-53%) and 35% (95% CI 29%-43%) while survival was 92% (95% CI 89%-95%) and 80% (95% CI 74%-87%), respectively. Patient and treatment variables showing evidence of association with biochemical relapse on multivariate analysis included pathological stage T3a or less vs T3b (seminal vesicle involvement, p = 0.029), pathological Gleason score 7 or less vs 8 or greater (p0.001) and pre-radiotherapy prostate specific antigen (p0.001). Four biochemical failure risk groups were created by assigning seminal vesicle involvement, Gleason score and pre-radiotherapy prostate specific antigen each a score of 0 to 2. These individual scores were summed. The freedom from biochemical failure at 5 years for each risk group was 0 to 1-69%, 2-53%, 3-26% and 4 to 5-6%.The presence of seminal vesicle involvement and high Gleason score in the radical prostatectomy specimen are inherent predictors of adverse outcome. Early referral for salvage radiotherapy can decrease subsequent biochemical relapse.

Adjuvant hormonal therapy may be beneficial in patients who are treated with RRP and found to have adverse pathological findings. We assessed the natural history of detectable PSA in such patients with particular emphasis on the prognostic usefulness of PSADT.We identified 903 patients treated with RRP and adjuvant hormonal therapy (started less than 90 days postoperatively) for prostate cancer at our institution between 1990 and 1999. PSADT was calculated by log linear regression in men with 2 or more PSA measurements available at least 90 days apart. CSS and sRFS were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and analyzed using Cox proportional hazard models.At a median followup of 9.1 years PSA had become detectable in 369 of 771 patients (47.9%) who achieved an undetectable nadir. PSADT evaluable in 463 patients was less than 12 months in 68 (14.6%) and more than 10 years in 283 (61.1%). N stage and Gleason score were significantly associated with sRFS and CSS. PSADT was a significant predictor of sRFS and CSS in N+ and N0 cases with a cancer death HR of 0.55 (95% CI 0.43 to 0.71) and 0.50 (95% CI 0.31 to 0.79), respectively. The association between PSADT and survival persisted after multivariate adjustment for preoperative PSA, specimen Gleason score and seminal vesicle invasion.This study demonstrates that many patients have slow progression despite increasing PSA following RRP and adjuvant hormonal therapy. Nodal status, cancer grade and PSADT are predictive of sRFS and CSS, and may be a useful means of selecting patients for future adjuvant therapy trials.

Historically young patients with prostate cancer have been found to have poorer outcomes. Recent studies suggest favorable pathological findings and improved survival in younger patients undergoing RRP. We assessed age at treatment as a predictor of post-RRP survival.We identified 5,509 patients treated with RRP for prostate cancer at our institution between 1987 and 1995. Age at treatment was classified into categories of younger than 55, 55 to 59, 60 to 64, 65 to 69 and 70 years or older. CSS, sPFS and biochemical PFS were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and analyzed using Cox proportional hazard models.Younger patients had lower preoperative prostate specific antigen, and tumor grade and stage. CSS, sPFS and biochemical PFS were similar across age groups but overall survival decreased with older age at treatment. After multivariate adjustment the risk of cancer death was lower in patients 70 years or older (RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.90), while the risk of progression was lower in all age groups compared to that in men younger than 55 years (RR 0.57 to 0.62). On stratified subset analysis sPFS was progressively worse with younger age in patients with high risk pathological findings. However, the addition of age to multivariate models incorporating preoperative prostate specific antigen, pathological features and adjuvant therapy failed to improve their predictive value for CSS and sPFS.Despite more favorable clinicopathological features younger patients undergoing RRP for prostate cancer have survival similar to that of older counterparts. Given the greater proportionate impact of prostate cancer on survival, it is particularly important to pursue aggressive treatment in younger patients.

Purpose: The aims of this report are 1) to extend our previous two-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging study to create a three-dimensional image of the pelvic floor, including the puboperinealis, the most anteromedial component of the levator ani; 2) to clarify the historical controversy about this particular component of the levator ani; and 3) to present clinical implications of this muscle with respect to urinary continence and radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: We reused the axial magnetic resonance imaging series from 1 of 15 men in a previous series. Analyze AVWTM allowed creation of three-dimensional images. Further, a movie clip of all three-dimensional images was developed and placed at the manuscript-dedicated Web site: http://www.mayo.edu/ppmovie/pp.html.Results: Our three-dimensional images show how the puboperinealis portion of the levator ani flanks the urethra as it courses from the pubis to its insertion in the perineal body.Conclusions: The puboperinealis corresponds to muscl...

Purpose: Elevated serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) may be the initial and only indication of disease recurrence after prostatectomy for prostate cancer. External beam radiotherapy may be given...

Purpose: We examined and defined anatomical structures relevant to radical prostatectomy using magnetic resonance imaging.Materials and Methods: Before radical prostatectomy, 15 men underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging studies of their pelvic floors (fast spin echo, T2 weighting of 3- to 4-mm. contiguous or overlapping slices) in axial, coronal, and sagittal planes.Results: Pubovesical ligaments, rather than the commonly reported puboprostatic ligaments, we observed attaching the bladder-prostate unit to the pubis. We suggest that the part of the urethra that extends from the apex of the prostate to the bulb of the penis, which is surrounded by the striated sphincter, should be termed the sphincteric urethra rather than the membranous urethra. Further, we found no evidence that supports the traditional concept of a urogenital diaphragm. The lower part of the striated urethral sphincter was flanked on its sides by the anterior recesses of the ischioanal fossae. The portion of the le...

Previous studies suggest that prostate cancer with a volume of 0.5 ml. or less and a Gleason score of less than 7 may be clinically insignificant and may be managed with watchful waiting. A proposed method of determining the volume of cancer in the prostate gland has been the grade and volume of cancer present in the transrectal needle biopsy specimen. Volume of cancer in the biopsy specimen as a predictor of volume of cancer in the prostate gland was studied in 130 men who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy for adenocarcinoma. Of the men 46 (35 percent) had clinical stage T1c (nonpalpable) disease, while 84 (65 percent) had clinical stage T2 (palpable) disease. Each radical prostatectomy specimen was whole-mounted and step-sectioned for accurate cancer volume determination. Three parameters for measuring volume of cancer in the biopsy specimen (percentage of biopsy cores involved, millimeters of cancer per biopsy core and percentage of cancer in the biopsy specimen) were determined and co...

To provide information about long-term outcome after radical prostatectomy for clinically localized prostatic cancer (stage T2c or lower), we undertook a retrospective analysis of 3,170 consecutive patients (mean age 65.3 ± 6.4 years, range 31 to 81) with a mean followup of 5 years. Complication rates for patients who underwent prostatectomy before 1988 were compared with those who underwent radical prostatectomy more recently. Of the patients 49 (1.5%), 178 (5.6%), 897 (28%) and 2,047 (65%) had clinical stages T1a, T1b, T2a and T2b,c disease, respectively. The Gleason score was 3 or less in 292 patients (9%) and 7 or greater in 782 (25%). Overall, 438 patients (14%) died, 159 (5%) of cancer. The crude 10 and 15-year survival rates for all patients were 75% and 60%, respectively, which is comparable to the expected survival of a control group (67% and 46%). The cause specific survival rates were 90% and 82%, respectively, metastasis-free survival rates 82% and 76%, local recurrence-free survival r...

The serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level was determined in 311 men with documented prostate cancer (stages T1cN0, T2N0 and T3N0) before bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical retropubic prostatectomy. The prostates were whole mounted, serially sectioned, and examined for cancer volume, capsular perforation, seminal vesicle invasion, lymph node involvement, Gleason grade, nuclear grade and nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid content. Median serum PSA level was significantly different between cancers that were organ confined, those that had capsular perforation or seminal vesicle invasion and those with positive lymph nodes (p0.001). Median serum PSA level was also significantly different between tumors with Gleason scores of less than 6 and those with higher Gleason scores (p0.001), and between tumors with greater than 30% of poorly differentiated cancer (Gleason primary grades 4 and 5) and those with 30% or less poorly differentiated cancer (p0.001). Bivariate analysis revealed that the strongest correlations of serum PSA level were with cancer volume (r = 0.56), per cent of poorly differentiated cancer (r = 0.42), positive surgical margins (r = 0.39) and pathological stage (r = 0.38), for all p0.001. Multivariate analysis showed that cancer volume was the major contributor to serum PSA level. The derivative, PSA-cancer density (serum PSA times cancer volume divided by prostate volume), accounted for the effects of prostate volume and cancer volume on serum PSA. PSA-cancer density showed a significant correlation with pathological stage (r = 0.56), Gleason score (r = 0.53) and per cent of poorly differentiated cancer (r = 0.49, for all p0.001), and these correlations were significantly stronger than serum PSA level alone or PSA density (serum PSA divided by prostate volume; volume determined from tissue specimens) for all variables. These results indicate that preoperative serum PSA level has significant predictive value in determining tumor burden and pathological stage, and this predictive value is increased by accounting for cancer and gland volume with PSA-cancer density.

The anatomical variations of the veins within the retropubic adipose tissue anterior to the prostate in 160 patients undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy are described. A single midline vein was present in approximately 60% of the cases. In another 20% there was bifurcation of the single midline vein with the majority having a right or left pelvic sidewall branch. Various anomalous distributions were present in 10% of the cases and the superficial veins were completely absent in the remaining 10%.

The relationship of grade and local tumor extent to pelvic nodal involvement was assessed surgically in 469 patients who underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical retropubic prostatectomy for adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Grade and local stage alone and combined score were associated in a linear fashion with nodal involvement. Gleason sum and Mayo grade alone were not predictive of nodal metastases. Some patients with a Gleason score of 4 had positive nodes and some with a score of 8 to 10 had negative nodes. Mayo sum (grade plus stage) consistently was related to negative nodal involvement.

Primary radiation therapy for clinically localized prostatic cancer is effective and safe. Of our 147 patients treated between 1964 and 1973, 144 were evaluated 5 years after the initial date of radiation therapy. At 5 years the over-all survival rate was 80 per cent and the rate of survival free of disease was 63 per cent. More than 70 per cent of the patients were free of progression 5 years after the date of the first radiation treatment. Analysis revealed a highly significant association between tumor grade and patient survival (p less than 0.001), and between tumor grade and the interval free of disease (p less than 0.002). The relationship between tumor stage and time to progression of disease also was significant (p approximately equal to 0.01) but there was no relationship between lower stage and longer survival. Of the 142 patients who completed treatment only 20 (14 per cent) had local recurrence of the prostatic cancer after radiation therapy, representing a local control rate of 86 per cent 5 years after treatment. A few of the patients underwent post-treatment prostatic biopsy after radiation therapy. If a biopsy is done for increased prostatic induration and the results are positive adjuvant treatment is recommended. In the absence of urologic symptoms of progressive induration of the prostate gland biopsy is not instrumental in predicting the course of the cancer.

The records of 34 patients with posterior urethral disruptions secondary to blunt pelvic trauma who were treated with primary realignment were reviewed. Among the 29 evaluable patients there was a 38 per cent incidence of stricture (11 of 29), a 3 per cent incidence of incontinence (1 of 29) and a 15 per cent incidence of impotence (4 of 27). Primary realignment has a low morbidity and an acceptable rate of incontinence, impotence and stricture formation, and is recommended in the treatment of posterior urethral injuries.

In an anatomical study of 64 gross specimens the external striated urethral sphincter was reconfirmed to extend as a single unit from the proximal penile urethra to the bladder base. The configuration of the external striated urethral sphincter was variable and was related to the shape of the apical prostate. Two basic prostatic shapes were recognized, distinguished by the presence or absence of an anterior apical notch. Whether a notch existed depended upon the degree of lateral lobe development and the position of its anterior commissure.In radical prostatectomy knowledge of the variation in the shape of the prostatic apex can help the surgeon to achieve optimal urethral transection with maximal preservation of the external striated urethral sphincter and other tissues of the continence mechanism. (J. Urol., 138: 543–550, 1987)

Of 282 patients with invasive bladder carcinoma treated by a combined protocol of preoperative irradiation and total or partial cystectomy 84 had no residual carcinoma in the surgical specimens. Of these 84 patients who have been at risk for 12 to 149 months 59 (70 per cent) are alive.