ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the perioperative, functional and oncologic outcomes of patients with prostate cancer receiving laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) using three-dimensional (3D) versus two-dimensional (2D) imaging systems.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From February, 2014 to January 2016, 72 consecutive patients with clinically localized prostate cancer underwent LRP with 2D or 3D imaging systems performed by a single experienced surgeon. The baseline characteristics, perioperative data, and functional and oncologic outcomes of the patients were collected and analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Thirty-six patients underwent 3D LRP and the other 36 patients underwent 2D LRP. Compared with 2D LRP group, 3D LRP group had a significantly shorter operative time (167 vs 218 min, P<0.001), a smaller volume of intraoperative blood loss (86.11 vs 177.78 mL, P<0.001) and a better early urinary continence outcome (88.89% vs 63.89%, P=0.026). No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of complications, potency outcome or biochemical recurrence-free rate.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compared with 2D LRP, 3D LRP shortens the operative time, reduces intraoperative blood loss and is associated with a better early urinary continence outcome in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer.</p>
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Both microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy (MSIV) and microsurgical high inguinal varicocelectomy (MHIV) are recommended for the treatment of varicocele, but they differ in technical complexity. This study aimed to determine the microanatomy of spermatic blood vessels in the two surgical approaches.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We recorded the numbers of spermatic veins, arteries and lymphatics in 80 cases of MSIV and 20 cases of MHIV. We also examined the spermatic cords from 10 adult male cadavers by histological staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The numbers of medium spermatic veins (2 -5 mm in diameter) were 1.80 +/- 0.83 and 3.98 +/- 1. 99 in MHIV and MSIV, respectively, with significant difference between the two groups (t = -7.536, P < 0.01), and the total numbers of spermatic veins were 6.40 +/- 1.67 and 9.01 +/- 2.70, also with significant difference between the two (t = -4.071, P < 0.01). However, there were no significant differences between MHIV and MSIV in the numbers of small spermatic veins (diameter < or = 2 mm), large spermatic veins (diameter > or = 5 mm), arteries and lymphatics, nor in the numbers of spermatic veins and arteries of the cadavers.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The total number of spermatic veins and the number of medium spermatic veins may be larger in MSIV than in MHIV, but the medium spermatic veins do not increase surgical difficulty, and MSIV is not more complicated than MHIV.</p>