Effect of a large prostate gland on open and robotically assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes based on gland size between robotically assisted radical prostatectomy (RALP) and open RP (RRP), as larger prostates might increase the difficulty of RP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed 660 patients who had RALP and 340 who had RRP from May 2003 to August 2006; the patients were divided into two groups, with a prostate of >75 and or=75 g had fewer positive margins than smaller glands, regardless of surgical technique. There was also a significant decrease in positive margin rate in among prostates of >75 g in favour of RALP. Thus, RALP appears to be comparable with RRP for patients with large glands, and might reduce the positive margin rate.