The impact of low pressure pneumoperitoneum in robotic assisted radical prostatectomy II: a prospective, randomized, double blinded trial

To analyze postoperative ileus rates and postoperative complications between the different pneumoperitoneum settings. The secondary objective was to evaluate narcotic use and intraoperative blood loss between the different pneumoperitoneum settings.

A prospective, randomized, double blinded study was conducted at pneumoperitoneum pressures of either 12 mmHg or 15 mmHg for patients undergoing robotic assisted radical prostatectomy with bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection by a single high volume surgeon.

The risk of ileus in the 12 mmHg group was 1.9% (2/105) compared to 3.2% (3/93) in the 15 mmHg group (OR 0.58, 95%CI 0.1−3.6). There was no difference in the risk of any complication with a complication rate of 4.8% (5/105) in the 12 mmHg arm compared to 4.3% (4/93) in the 15 mmHg arm (OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.3 – 4.3).

Pneumoperitoneum pressure setting of 12 mmHg has no significant difference to 15 mmHg in the rate of postoperative complications, narcotic use, and intraoperative bleeding. Additional research is warranted to understand the optimal.