Pretreatment Expectations of Patients Undergoing Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic or Open Retropubic Radical Prostatectomy

Abstract

The body of evidence surrounding robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy supports shorter hospitalization but there is no conclusive evidence that the robotic approach results in earlier return to physical activity or improved disease specific outcomes. Nonetheless we found that patients who underwent robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy had higher expectations regarding these outcomes, particularly that of erectile function recovery, than did their radical retropubic prostatectomy counterparts.