A comparative study of anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy among men undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a prospective single institution study

The present study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) under anticoagulant (AC) and/or antiplatelet (AP) therapy, as compared to a control group, and to establish possible differences in postoperative-related morbidity. Data of all consecutive patients submitted to elective RARP for PCa from June 2017 to May 2020 at our institution were prospectively collected. Patients were divided according to the use of AC/AP therapy at surgery. The primary endpoint was to determine differences in 90-day postoperative complication rate, while secondary endpoints included differences in transfusion rate, readmission rate and postoperative oncological outcomes between the two groups. Sub-groups analysis was separately performed for patients undergoing pelvic lymphadenectomy and nerve-sparing procedures. Overall, 822 patients were included in the study and divided in 704 control-group patients (group A) and 118 patients under AC/AP therapy at surgery (group B). Despite the higher estimated blood loss between AC/AP takers and the control group, we did not find a significant difference in terms of 90-day postoperative complication rate, transfusion rate, readmission rate and postoperative oncological outcomes (all p > 0.05). In the cohort of patients undergoing nerve-sparing prostatectomy, a higher rate of complications and transfusions were found. At multivariate analysis, ASA score and ongoing medications were independently associated with complication in this sub-group. RARP can be safely and effectively performed in patients with PCa and ongoing AC/AP agents. Attention has to be paid in candidates for nerve-sparing procedures.