[Complications and nerve preservation in prostatectomy according to the time interval from diagnostic biopsy].

OBJECTIVES To summarize the available evidence on complications and bilateral nerve preservation in radical prostatectomy in patients according to the time interval from diagnostic biopsy (more or less than six weeks). MATERIAL AND METHODS Relevant studies were identified by using structured and specific search strategies for each of the databases consulted, without limitations. The methodological quality of each of the studies included was evaluated and the data were extracted independently. RESULTS For open radical prostatectomy, two of the studies concluded that a time interval of less than 4 or 6 weeks between prostate biopsy and surgery had no influence on the postsurgical complications rate or on nerve preservation during surgery. For laparoscopic robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy, the study included concluded that performing this type of intervention in an interval of less than 4 or 6 weeks after diagnostic biopsy was associated with a higher risk of postsurgical complications. However, all these studies had major methodological limitations. CONCLUSIONS The time interval between diagnostic biopsy and open surgery has no influence on the complications rate or nerve preservations. In contrast, an interval of less than 4 weeks between diagnostic biopsy and laparoscopic surgery is associated with a higher risk of surgical complications.