AUA Prostate Cancer review at medscape

An excellent review on the abstracts presented at the AUA was done online at medscape.
It offers 1.5 credits for physicians.
One quote that I thought was interesting was:

These 2 studies taken together indicate that there is a steep learning
curve for laparoscopic prostatectomy, even if the robot is used. It is
probably medicolegally advisable for a urologist who has performed less
than 100 of these cases to inform the patient of this fact.

I think there is a large variation between surgeons on their learning curve. All surgeons should keep statistics and share them with patients.
I stratify my results by patient number and explain the robotic results to patients.
The important factors are blood loss, hospital stay, surgical margins (marker of cancer control), urinary control, and sexual function.
The only factors that were not as good as open looking at the data retrospectively were surgical times and positive margins. I knew the times would be slower to start, the margins I thought would be as good, but were slightly worse than open.
Blood loss was much less than open on operation 1 and no one has ever had a transfusion.
Hospital stays were better immediately and much better after 25 operations.
Cancer control was as good by operation 26 and better by operation 60.
Urinary control was similar for the first 40 and better after, while getting even better after 80.
Sexual function was slightly better immediately and better after 30, and much better after 60.