Postoperative complications of contemporary open and robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy using standardised reporting systems

Objectives: To analyse time trends and contemporary rates of postoperative complications after radical prostatectomy (RP) and to compare the complication profile of open RP (ORP) and robot-assisted laparoscopic RP (RALP) using standardised reporting systems.

Patients and methods: Retrospective analysis of 13 924 RP patients in a single institution (2005-2015). Complications were collected during hospital stay and via standardised questionnaire 3 months after, and grouped into eight schemes. Since 2013, the revised Clavien-Dindo classification was used (n = 4 379). Annual incidence rates of different complications were graphically displayed. Multivariable logistic regression analyses compared complications between ORP and RALP after inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW).

Results: After the introduction of standardised classification systems, complication rates have increased with a contemporary rate of 20.6% (2013-2015). While minor Clavien-Dindo grades represented the majority (I: 10.6%; II: 7.9%), severe complications (Grades IV-V) were rare (<1%). In logistic regression analyses after IPTW, RALP was associated with less blood loss, shorter catheterisation time, and lower risk of Clavien-Dindo Grade II and III complications.

Conclusion: Our results emphasise the importance of standardised reporting systems for quality control and comparison across approaches or institutions. Contemporary complication rates in a high-volume centre remain low and are most frequently minor Clavien-Dindo grades. RALP had a slightly better complication profile compared to ORP.