Impact of a low-volume laparoscopic radical prostatectomy learning curve on perioperative outcomes: is it acceptable?

Objective: The reproducibility of high-volume published series of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) is still debatable. Many questions about its implementation, safety, and number of procedures required to achieve competence and improvement of outcomes with the technique remain unclear, and a learning curve study is crucial to investigate the acceptable performance of this advanced, minimally invasive procedure.

Subjects And Methods: Between 2004 and 2011, 240 consecutive patients underwent an LRP performed by a single surgeon and were divided into the first, second, and third groups of 80 patients each.