Nerve-spring technique could achieve a functional trifecta outcome of robotic intracorporeal studer’s orthotopic neobladder in the male

OBJECTIVES: To summarize some key steps of functional improvement in robotic intracorporeal studer’s orthotopic neobladder (RISON) of males, especially for nerve-spring technique. We also presented the result of 1-year follow-up aimed to illustrate its functional trifecta outcomes. METHODS: Robotic radical cystectomy with intracorporeal studer’s orthotopic neobladder was performed on 33 male patients by the same surgeon from April 2018 to March 2019. Nerve-sparing technique had been used in 11 of the 33 patients. A prospectively maintained dataset was retrospectively searched and the related perioperative and follow-up data were analyzed. The functional trifecta outcomes referred to the freedom from recurrence, urinary continence and sexual function recovery after one year. RESULTS: A total of 33 males were included in our study. All perioperative information was recorded in detail. Thirty-two cases were confirmed to have negative surgical margin, except one pT3a case. And another case of incidental prostate cancer was diagnosed pathologically. All patients (100%) were recurrence-free one year after the operation. Eleven patients underwent nerve-sparing surgeries, including inter-fascial techniques or intra-fascial techniques. All these patients attained daytime continence (0 pad) at 1 month. With the nighttime continence, nerve-sparing group (2, 2,1) used fewer pads than other 22 cases (3, 3,2) at 1, 6 or 12 month(s) respectively. We defined urinary continence as 0 pad in daytime and no more than 1 pad in nighttime. The median preoperative score of International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-6) in the 11 cases was 24. The sexual function recovery was defined as IIEF-6 > 20. The final trifecta rate was 54.5% and the median follow-up time lasted 17 months (range, 12 to 22 months). CONCLUSIONS: RISON could be a safe and feasible choice of urinary diversion. Nerve sparing techniques might help the patients achieve a relatively higher functional trifecta rate.