Premium
CR21P
MALE SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC PELVIC SURGERY IS UNCOMMON WHEN PERFORMED BY SURGEONS BEYOND THEIR “LEARNING CURVE”
Author(s) -
Jones O. M.,
Stevenson A.,
Stitz R. W.,
Lumley J. W.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
anz journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.426
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 1445-1433
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-2197.2007.04116_21.x
Subject(s) - medicine , laparoscopic surgery , sexual dysfunction , laparoscopy , surgery , retrograde ejaculation , dissection (medical) , retrospective cohort study , general surgery , prostate , cancer
Purpose The CLASICC trial reported higher levels of sexual dysfunction in men after laparoscopic pelvic surgery as compared to patients undergoing open surgery. This finding has since been replicated in a smaller study from Singapore. This has led some surgeons to question the role of the laparoscopic approach to pelvic surgery. This issue has been addressed further in this study. Methodology This study represents a retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database for a single unit, comprising 2,000 patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Data collected prospectively at post‐operative clinic visit on impotence and retrograde ejaculation were evaluated. Results 150 males undergoing pelvic surgery were identified. The incidence of impotence and retrograde ejaculation were less than 5% for men undergoing laparoscopic pelvic surgery. This does not differ significantly from rates seen in patients undergoing open pelvic surgery in this unit. Conclusions In this unit, laparoscopic pelvic surgery has been performed only since 2001, by which time there had been experience of over 1,000 laparoscopic abdominal procedures. Previous studies reporting poorer functional outcomes have probably included a significant number of patients on the surgeons’“learning curve”. By contrast, the low rates of sexual dysfunction in this unit may be attributable to pelvic dissection only being undertaken by experienced laparoscopic surgeons.