Management of pelvic lymphoceles after radical prostatectomy: A multicentre community based study

INTRODUCTION: Pelvic lymphoceles (LC) following radical prostatectomy (LC-RP) have an incidence up to 27%. LC-managements constitute 50% of surgical interventions performed in post-RP patients. OBJECTIVES: To describe a therapeutic algorithm for LC-managements based on a community based representative retrospective study. Patients and methods: Multicentre data from 304 patients with LC-RP were retrospectively examined for LC-managements. RPs were performed by various surgeons from 67 urological departments. All patients had undergone 3 weeks rehabilitation in a specialized hospital where the data base was generated. Indications and results of therapeutic manoeuvres were used to develop a general concept for planning therapy decisions. RESULTS: Median age was 64 years. Complications occurred in 9% (28/304) of patients. Median LC-volume was 36 ml (range 20-1800 ml). There were more complications for LCs with ≥100 ml volume than those < 100 ml (27% versus 17%, p = 0.346). Conservative therapy was the standard in uncomplicated cases (87%, 239 of 276 patients), while intervention was done in 13% (puncture and/or drainage, surgery). Surgical intervention was performed significantly more often in complicated cases (82%, 23 from 28 patients; p < 0.001). Based on these data, LCs can be stratified into 3 groups depending on the size and clinical presentation. Therapeutic decisions were used to develop the illustrated new therapy algorithm. CONCLUSIONS: This study based treatment algorithm provides a rationale approach with an accurate LC-classification as regard the indications and decision making for the available LC-RP-therapies. This could facilitate management decisions. Evaluation of this concept prospectively in large patient cohort is mandatory.