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Purpose: To analyze the effectiveness of simplified urethropexy in the evolution of urinary incontinence after radical laparoscopic prostatectomy., Patients and Methods: Between January 2007 and December 2008, 104 patients were included in a randomized trial to assess the effectiveness of simplified urethropexy. The simplified urethropexy technique was performed on conclusion of a urethrovesical anastomosis with running suture and, before cutting the suture material, a suture was applied using the same material with a needle through the pubic tubercle, tightening it and securing it with a Hem-o-lok. Fifty-one patients qualified for the trial in the simplified urethropexy group (group 1) and another 51 in the control group without urethropexy (group 2). Incontinence was defined as the lack of the need for protection for normal life, and the degree of continence was compared at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery., Results: Surgery lasted 141 minutes in group 1 and 139 in group 2 (NS). There were no secondary complications such as urine retention, osteitis pubis, or bladder perforation. After 3 months, 47.1% of patients in each group declared continence (NS). After 6 months, 72.6% of patients in group 1 and 66.7% in group 2 (P<0.05) declared continence. After 12 months, 92.2% of patients in group 1 and 84.3% in group 2 declared continence., Conclusions: In our experience, simplified urethropexy is a simple, nontime-consuming technique that shows a slight clinical improvement in continence within 6 and 12 months, without reaching significant differences with the Fisher Test. It would be necessary to perform a trial with a greater number of patients to confirm these data.

Aim: To analyze the surgical, functional, and oncological results of radical laparoscopic salvage prostatectomy in local postradiotherapy recurrence., Patients and Methods: Between May 2005 and April 2007, we treated nine patients with radical laparoscopic salvage prostatectomy. Five patients had received prior treatment with brachytherapy and the other four with external radiotherapy. The average age of the patients was 59.3 years (range 51-68). The average preoperative prostate-specific antigen was 9.1 ng/mL (range 2.6-30). The average follow-up period was 26.8 months (range 15-39)., Results: The average duration of surgery was 170 minutes (from 120 to 240). There was no need to resort to open surgery or transfusions. There were no cases of rectal injuries. Four cases were pT2c, 1 pT3a, 3 pT3b, and 1 pT4a. The Gleason score was 7 in three cases, 8 in two cases, and 9 in another four. Two patients had nodal metastasis. Postoperative prostate-specific antigen was undetectable in seven of the nine patients. Two patients experienced biochemical recurrence 16 and 13 months after the surgery. After a minimum follow-up period of 15 months, they were free from recurrence. There were no cases of urethrovesical anastomotic stenosis. Three patients manifested severe incontinence (more than two diapers per day), which was corrected in two cases by implanting an artificial sphincter. The other six patients required 0 to 1 pads/day. Before the surgery, only one of the five potential patients maintained his erectile function., Conclusions: Radical laparoscopic salvage prostatectomy is a complex technique that seems to allow attaining high and long-lasting rates of biochemical remission in patients with local postradiotherapy recurrence. Although there is less morbidity in our series in comparison with the anastomotic stenosis and rectal injuries rate published in radical retropubic salvage prostatectomy, more extensive comparative studies are required to confirm this fact.