Division of dorsal vascular complex using soft coagulation without suture ligation during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: a propensity score-matched study in a single-center experience

Introduction Apical dissection and control of the dorsal vascular complex (DVC) affects blood loss, positive surgical margins, and urinary control during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Soft coagulation is widely used for hemostasis. However, using soft coagulation to the DVC may affect the continence outcomes. In this study, we described technique and outcomes for division of the DVC after soft coagulation (DVC-SC) compared with delayed ligation of the DVC (D-DVC). Material and methods Medical records of 170 patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy from June 2016 to March 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. To reduce the selection bias, the two groups were matched in a 1:1 ratio on the basis of propensity scores. Perioperative data and results were compared in both groups. Results Patients undergoing DVC-SC experienced less estimated blood loss compared to patients undergoing D-DVC (median: 105.5 vs 225 ml, p = 0.017). Postoperative continence rates at 1 week, 1, 3, 6 months in DVC-SC group and D-DVC group were 32.5% versus 15%, 62.5% versus 32.5%, 85% versus 67.5%, 95% versus 90%, respectively. Continence was significantly better at 1 month with DVC-SC versus D-DVC (p = 0.013). Conclusions Division of the DVC after soft coagulation technique did not affect continence after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy despite the thermal division and gave the surgeon good hemostasis with simple procedure.