Oncologic outcomes with and without amniotic membranes in robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy:A propensity score matched analysis

Objective:Placement of human placenta derived grafts during robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy(RARP)hastens the return of continence and potency.The long-term impact on the oncologic outcomes remains to be investigated.Our objective was to determine the oncologic outcomes of patients with dehydrated human amnion chorion membrane(dHACM)at RARP compared to a matched cohort.Methods:In a referral centre,from August 2013 to October 2019,599 patients used dHACM in bilateral nerve-sparing RARP.We excluded patients with less than 12 months follow-up,simple prostatectomy,and unilateral nerve-sparing.Patients with dHACM(amnio group)were 529,and were propensity score matched 1:1 to 2465 patients without dHACM(non-amnio group)and a minimum follow-up of 36 months.At the time of RARP,dHACM was placed around the neurovascular bundle in the amnio group.Continuous and categorical variables in matched groups was tested by two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Fisher's exact test respectively.Outcomes measured were biochemical recurrence(BCR),adjuvant and salvage therapy rates.Results:Propensity score matching resulted in two groups of 444 patients.Cumulative incidence functions for BCR did not show a difference between the groups(p=0.3).Patients in the non-amnio group required salvage therapy more frequently than the amnio group,particularly after partial nerve-sparing RARP(6.3%vs.2.3%,p=0.001).Limitations are the absence of prospective randomization.Conclusion:The data suggest that using dHACM does not have a negative impact on BCR in patients.Outcomes of cancer specific and overall survival will require follow-up study to increase our understanding of these grafts’impact on prostate cancer biology.

Totally intracorporeal robot-assisted urinary diversion for bladder cancer(part 2).Review and detailed characterization of the existing intracorporeal orthotopic ileal neobladder

Objective:To review the most used intracorporeal orthotopic ileal neobladder(ICONB)after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer and create a unified compendium of the different alternatives,including new consistent images.Methods:We performed a non-systematic review of the literature with the keywords“bladder cancer”,“urinary diversion”,“radical cystectomy”,and“neobladder”.Results:Forty studies were included in the analysis.The most frequent type of ICONB was the modified Studer“U”neobladder(70%)followed by the Hautmann“W”modified neobladder(7.5%),the“Y”neobladder(5%),and the Padua neobladder(5%).The operative time to perform a urinary diversion ranged from 124 to 553 min.The total estimated blood loss ranged from 200 to 900 mL.The rate of positive surgical margins ranged from 0%to 8.1%.Early minor and major complication rates ranged from 0%to 100%and from 0%to 33%,respectively.Late minor and major complication rates ranged from 0%to 70%and from 0%to 25%,respectively.Conclusion:The most frequent types of ICONB are Studer“U”neobladder,Hautmann“W”neobladder,“Y”neobladder,and the Padua neobladder.Randomized studies comparing the performance of the different types of ICONB,the performance in an intra or extracorporeal manner,or the performance of an ICONB versus ICIC are lacking in the literature.To this day,there are not sufficient quality data to determine the supremacy of one technique.This manuscript represents a compendium of the most used ICONB with detailed descriptions of the technical aspects,operative and perioperative outcomes,and new consistent images of each technique.

Single-port technique evolution and current practice in urologic procedures

Different groups described the single-port surgery since its first report in laparoscopic procedures.However,the acceptance of this technique among urologists,even after the robotic approach,was reduced in the past years.Therefore,to overcome the challenges related to the single-port surgery,a new robotic platform named da Vinci SP was created with exclusive single port technology.We performed a non-systematic literature review regarding the single port technique in urologic surgeries since the first laparoscopic report until the da Vinci SP robotic platform.Three different periods were described(laparoscopy,robotic,and da Vinci SP),and we focused in our experience with this new single port robot.We selected different articles and summarized the information regarding the use of single-site surgery in laparoscopic procedures and the challenges of this approach.We also reported the experience of different groups using the single port robotic technique and some recent reports of the da Vinci SP approach.In our experience with this new console,we described some critical points related to our radical prostatectomy technique and the lessons learned during the introduction of this novel platform.Previous single-site procedures described some common challenges that limited the technique expansion.However,our experience with the da Vinci SP described feasible and safe procedures with acceptable intraoperative outcomes.The introduction of this platform is recent in the market,and the literature still lacks a high level of evidence describing the long-term outcomes of this new technology.

Magnetic resonance imaging-guided prostate biopsydA review of literature

Objective:Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging(MP-MRI)helps to identify lesion of prostate with reasonable accuracy.We aim to describe the various uses of MP-MRI for prostate biopsy comparing different techniques of MP-MRI guided biopsy.Materials and methods:A literature search was performed for“multiparametric MRI”,“MRI fusion biopsy”,“MRI guided biopsy”,“prostate biopsy”,“MRI cognitive biopsy”,“MRI fusion biopsy systems”,“prostate biopsy”and“cost analysis”.The search operation was performed using the operator“OR”and“AND”with the above key words.All relevant systematic reviews,original articles,case series,and case reports were selected for this review.Results:The sensitivity of MRI targeted biopsy(MRI-TB)is between 91%e93%,and the specificity is between 36%e41%in various studies.It also has a high negative predictive value(NPV)of 89%e92%and a positive predictive value(PPV)of 51%e52%.The yield of MRI fusion biopsy(MRI-FB)is similar,if not superior to MR cognitive biopsy.In-bore MRI-TB had better detection rates compared to MR cognitive biopsy,but were similar to MR fusion biopsy.Conclusions:The use of MRI guidance in prostate biopsy is inevitable,subject to availability,cost,and experience.Any one of the three modalities(i.e.MRI cognitive,MRI fusion and MRI in-bore approach)can be used.MRI-FB has a fine balance with regards to accuracy,practicality and affordability.

Totally intracorporeal robot-assisted urinary diversion for bladder cancer(Part 1).Review and detailed characterization of ileal conduit and modified Indiana pouch

Objective:To review the most used robot-assisted cutaneous urinary diversion(CUD)after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer and create a unified compendium of the different alternatives,including new consistent images Methods:A non-systematic review of the literature with the keywords“bladder cancer”,“cutaneous urinary diversion”,and“radical cystectomy”was performed.Results:Twenty-four studies of intracorporeal ileal conduit(ICIC)and two of intracorporeal Indiana pouch(ICIP)were included in the analysis.Regarding ICIC,the patients’age ranged from 60 to 76 years.The operative time to perform a urinary diversion ranged from 60 to 133 min.The total estimated blood loss ranged from 200 to 1117 mL.The rate of positive surgical margins ranged from 0%to 14.3%.Early minor and major complication rates ranged from 0%to 71.4%and from 0%to 53.4%,respectively.Late minor and major complication rates ranged from 0%to 66%and from 0%to 32%,respectively.Totally ICIP data are limited to one case report and one clinical series.Conclusion:The most frequent type of CUD is ICIC.Randomized studies comparing the performance of the different types of CUD,the performance in an intra-or extracorporeal manner,or the performance of a CUD versus orthotopic ileal neobladder are lacking in the literature.To this day,there are not enough quality data to determine the supremacy of one technique.This manuscript represents a compendium of the most used CUD with detailed descriptions of the technical aspects,operative and perioperative outcomes,and new consistent images for each technique.

Nerve-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy:Current perspectives

Robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy(RARP)is the current standard of care with long term cure in organ-confined disease.The introduction of nerve-sparing(NS)to standard RARP has shown positive results in terms of functional outcomes in addition to the oncological outcomes.This article reviews the current perspectives of NS-RARP in terms of applied anatomy of the prostatic fascial planes,the neurovascular bundle(NVB),various NS techniques and postoperative functional outcomes.A non-systematic review was done using PubMed,Embase and Medline databases to retrieve and analyse articles in English,with following keywords“prostate cancer”,“robotic radical prostatectomy”,“nerve-sparing”.The Delphi method was used with an expert panel of robotic surgeons in urology to analyse the potency outcomes of various published comparative and non-comparative studies.The literature has shown that NS-RARP involves various techniques and approaches while there is a lack of randomized studies to suggest the superiority of one over the other.Variables such as preoperative risk assessments,baseline potency,surgical anatomy of individual patients and surgeons’expertise play a major role in the outcomes.A tailored approach for each patient is required for applying the NS approach during RARP.

Robotic surgery techniques to approach benign prostatic hyperplasia disease:A comprehensive literature review and the state of art

Objective:The robotic-assisted approach to simple prostatectomy(RASP)was conceived,essentially reproducing the fundaments of open simple prostatectomy.Since the first report,RASP underwent several technical modifications.The study aims to identify and describe the current robotic surgery techniques to approach benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH).Methods:The paper performed a non-systematic literature review accessing PubMed and Embase databases for all full-text articles published from 2008 to May 2020,assessing robot-assisted surgical techniques for BPH treatment using the terms“robot-assisted simple prostatectomy”OR“robotic simple prostatectomy”OR“RASP”AND“surgical technique”.Results:After careful review of 180 studies in PubMed and 198 in Embase,16 papers reporting different RASP techniques.After the first procedure described by Sotelo et al.[9],several authors contributed to the development of the RASP technique.John et al.[24]proposed the extraperitoneal access,and Yuh et al.[23]first reported the adenoma transcapsular dissection.Some modifications were proposed by Coelho et al.[31]on trigonization,posterior reconstruction,and urethro-vesical anastomosis.Other groups focused on urethral-preserving procedures.Moschovas et al.[28]and Clavijo et al.[32]recently described an intrafascial RASP with the removal of the entire prostatic tissue.Finally,Kaouk et al.[29]reported the feasibility and safety of the da Vinci Single Port approach.Conclusion:In the last eighteen years,the robotic-assisted approach to BPH disease has been evolved,and different techniques have been described.This review details all the technical developments on RASP that distinctive groups have proposed since the multiport robotic platforms until the new da Vinci Single Port.

机器人辅助腹腔镜根治前列腺切除术的外科学习曲线：一名外科医生500病例的经验

本文分析了机器人辅助腹腔镜根治前列腺切除术（RALP）初期250例和后期250例患者。500位连续接受RALP的临床局部前列腺癌患者分为第Ⅰ组：第1-250案（2006年12月-2010年12月）和第Ⅱ组：第251-500案（2011年1月-2012年12月）。记录两组的临床特点，比较两组的操作参数和手术期并发症。评估病理结果、肿瘤细胞残留手术组织边缘和生化复发率（BCR）。我们从每50个RALP案例中分析肿瘤细胞残留手术组织边缘fPSM）和神经血管束（NVB）保留，局部肿瘤的复发风险和病理分期的关系。第Ⅱ组比第1组有更多的晚期前列腺癌（切片检查格里森分数8—10，P=0．033：临床分期T3，P=0．叭7），并呈现显著性差异。控制台时间和失血从第Ⅰ组到第Ⅱ组大幅下降（控制台时间为165．16±53．51min vs 103．37±22．04min;失血为174．56±201．32ml vs 99．80±104．77m1）。输血在第1组减少3．2％（8／250）vs第Ⅱ组减少1．2％（3／250）以及手术期并发症比率在第1组减少9．6％（24／250）VS第Ⅱ组减少5．6％（14／250）。pT3的肿瘤细胞残留手术组织边缘N49％（第1组）降到32．6％（第Ⅱ组）。每50个案例减少肿瘤细胞残留手术组织边缘（PSM）的重要趋势，包括pT3和高度危险。神经血管束（NVB）保留会严重影响高度危险患者的肿瘤细胞残留手术组织边缘（PSM）（84．1％NVB保留群vs 43．9％NVB保留群）。3年、5年和7年无BCR的幸存者分别为79．2％、75.3％和70．2％。T3的肿瘤细胞残留手术组织边缘自初期250个案例的49％大幅下降到随后250个的32．9％。每50个案例减少PSM的重要趋势，包括pT3和高度危险。因为PSM的增加，在RALP期间不建议对高度危险的前列腺癌进行神经血管束保留。

Robotic renal and adrenal oncologic surgery:A contemporary review

Robot-assisted surgery has evolved over time.Radical nephrectomy with inferior vena cava thrombectomy is feasible and safe for level I,II and III thrombus in high volume centers.Though it is feasible for level IV thrombus,this procedure needs a multi-departmental cooperation.However,the safety of robot-assisted procedures in this subset is still unknown.Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy has been universally approved and found oncologically safe.Robotic adrenalectomy has been increasingly utilized for select cases,especially in bilateral tumors and for retroperitoneal adrenalectomy.

Robtic-assisted radical cystectomy:Literature review

Radical cystectomy(RC)with pelvic lymph node dissection(PLND)is the standard treatment for localized muscle-invasive bladder cancer(MIBC)and non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer(NMIBC)with recurrence or high risk of progression.Also,the robotic approach to this type of surgery is well established in the literature.Our objective is to summarize in this manuscript the most relevant articles related to the robotic-assisted radical cystectomy for prostate cancer.We performed a literature review of articles describing the robotic approach to RC in patients with bladder cancer.Also,we described the procedure since the patient selection until the bladder removal.The reconstructive techniques were not included in this review.Twenty-five articles were used to divide our manuscript into key points such as preoperative patient selection and protocols,surgical technique,pathology report,oncological outcomes,complication rates,and quality of life after the procedure.Robotic-assisted radical cystectomy is feasible and safe with satisfactory oncological outcomes.The robotic approach is related to lower blood loss and fewer transfusion rates.However,when compared to open surgery,the use of this technology increases the operative time.

Does robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy enable to obtain adequate oncological and functional outcomes during the learning curve?From the Korean experience

To estimate the short-term results of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy(RALRP)during the learning curve,in terms of surgical,oncological and functional outcomes,we conducted a prospective survey on RALRP.From July 2007,a single surgeon performed 63 robotic prostatectomies using the same operative technique.Perioperative data,including pathological and early functional results of the patient,were collected prospectively and analyzed.Along with the accumulation of the cases,the total operative time,setup time,console time and blood loss were significantly decreased.No major complication was present in any patient.Transfusion was needed in six patients;all of them were within the initial 15 cases.The positive surgical margin rate was 9.8%(5/51)in pT2 disease.The most frequent location of positive margin in this stage was the lateral aspect(60%),but in pT3 disease multiple margins were the most frequent(41.7%).Overall,53(84.1%)patients had totally continent status and the median time to continence was 6.56 weeks.Among 17 patients who maintained preoperative sexual activity(Sexual Health Inventory for Men≥17),stage below pT2,followed up for>6 months with minimally one side of neurovascular bundle preservation procedure,12(70.6%)were capable of intercourse postoperatively,and the mean time for sexual intercourse after operation was 5.7 months.In this series,robotic prostatectomy was a feasible and reproducible technique,with a short learning curve and low perioperative complication rate.Even during the initial phase of the learning curve,satisfactory results were obtained with regard to functional and oncological outcome.

The robot-assisted ureteral reconstruction in adult:A narrative review on the surgical techniques and contemporary outcomes

Despite the rapid increase in the use of robotic surgery in urology,the majority of ureteric reconstruction procedures are still performed using laparoscopic or open approaches.This is primarily due to uncertainty regarding the advantages of robotic approaches over conventional ones,and the unique difficulty in identifying the specific area of interest due to the lack of tactile feedback from the current robotic systems.However,with the potential benefits of minimal invasiveness,several pioneering reports have been published on robotic surgery in urology.By reviewing the literature on this topic,we aimed to summarize the techniques,considerations,and consistent findings regarding robotic ureteral reconstruction in adults.Robotic applications for ureteral surgery have been primarily reported for pediatric urology,especially in the context of relieving a congenital obstruction in the ureteral pelvic junction.However,contemporary studies have also consistently demonstrated that robotic surgery could be a reliable option for malignant,iatrogenic,and traumatic conditions,which generally occur in adult patients.Nevertheless,the lack of comparative studies on heterogeneous hosts and disease conditions make it difficult to determine the benefit of the robotic approach over the conventional approach in the general population;thus,qualified prospective trials are needed for wider acceptance.However,contemporary reports have demonstrated that the robotic approach could be an alternative option for ureteral construction,even in the absence of haptic feedback,which can be compensated by various surgical techniques and enhanced three-dimensional visualization.

Robotic urologic surgery:Past,present and future

The robotic surgery revolution has undoubtedly changed how surgeons’and patients’view and perform surgical intervention.While this evolution in surgical technology has affected many surgical fields,it has had the most impact in the field of urologic surgery.Most intra-abdominal surgical procedures in urology are now performed robotically in the United States and Europe.

Robot-assisted retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy:The state of art

Objective:To perform a narrative review about the role of robot-assisted retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy(R-RPLND)in the management of testicular cancer.Methods:A PubMed search for all relevant publications regarding the R-RPLND series up until August 2019 was performed.The largest series were identified,and weighted means calculated for outcomes using the number of patients included in each study as the weighting factor.Results:Fifty-six articles of R-RPLND were identified and eight series with more than 10 patients in each were included.The weighted mean age was 31.12 years;primary and post chemotherapy R-RPLND were performed in 50.59%and 49.41%of patients.The clinical stage was I,II and III in 47.20%,39.57%and 13.23%of patients.A modified R-RPLND template was used in 78.02%of patients,while 21.98%underwent bilateral full template.The weighted mean node yield,operative time and estimated blood loss were,respectively,22.15 nodes,277.35 min and 131.94 mL.The weighted mean length of hospital stay was 2 days and antegrade ejaculation was preserved in 92.12%of patients.Major post-operative complications(Clavien III or IV)occurred in 5.34%.Positive pathological nodes were detected in 24.54%,while the recurrence free survival was 95.77%with a follow-up of 21.81 months.Conclusion:R-RPLND has proven to be a reproducible and safe approach in experienced centers;short-term oncologic outcomes are similar to the open approach with less morbidity and shorter convalescence related to its minimal invasiveness.However,longer follow-up and new trials comparing head-to-head both techniques are expected.

Robot-assisted endoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy:A review of current outcomes

Objective:To review the role of robot-assisted endoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy(RAIL)in the management of penile cancer.Methods:A PubMed search for all relevant publications regarding RAIL series up until August 2019 was performed using the keyword“robotic”,“inguinal lymph node dissection”,and“penile cancer”.Weighted mean was calculated in the largest series for all outcomes using the number of patients included in each study as the weighting factor.Results:We identified 23 articles,of note the three largest series that included 102,27,and 20 RAIL in 51,14,and 10 patients,respectively.Saphenous vein was spared in 88.93%of RAIL cases in these series and node yield was 11.42 per groin;35.28%of patients had positive pathological nodes.The weighted mean of operative time was 87.98 min per RAIL and the estimated blood loss was 37.08 mL per patient.The mean length of hospital stay was 1.29 days and the drain was kept in place for 17.02 days;the major complication rate was only 5.31%in these series.The mean follow-up was 33.46 months with a recurrence-free survival of 96.33%.Conclusion:The literature regarding RAIL describes promising results,although it has shorter follow-up and higher costs when compared to historically series from the open approach.Initials series reported lower cutaneous complications compared to conventional approach,without compromising oncological outcomes.However,long-term results and larger trials are crucial to validate those findings.

Cardiovascular Complications of Large Hiatal Hernias: Expanding the Indications for Robotic Surgical Anatomic and Physiologic Repair: A Review

Background: Historically, the pathophysiology of Hiatal Hernias (HH) has not been fully understood. As a result, the surgical therapy of HH has focused primarily on gastrointestinal symptoms and Gastroesophageal Reflux (GERD). This treatment strategy has been associated with poor relief of symptoms and poor long-term outcomes. In fact, until recently, most patients with HH have been watched and referred for surgery as a last resort. Recent experience has shown that a large (giant) Hiatal Hernia (GHH) is a common problem known to impact adjacent organs such as the hearts and lungs. Those referred for surgical repair often complain of dyspnea, which is erroneously attributed to pulmonary compression or aspiration, but has been shown to be from tamponade caused from compression of the heart by herniated abdominal contents. This article reviews the present understanding of GHH, the cardiac complications which result from GHH, and the most advanced robotic minimally invasive surgical approach to the anatomic and physiologic repair of GHH. Methods: In a prospective cohort study, we evaluated patients undergoing RRHH with at least a 2-year follow-up. All patients undergoing elective (RRHH) were identified preoperatively and enrolled prospectively in this study. Preoperative characteristics, medical comorbidities, and clinical information were all recorded prospectively and recorded into a secure surgical outcomes database. All patients received the previously validated Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease-Health-Related Quality of Life (GERD-HRQL) questionnaire preoperatively and at postoperative time points of 1 month, 1 year, and 2 years. Patients routinely had a barium swallow postoperatively before discharge but did not undergo a barium swallow, an endoscopy, or a CT scan study at the 1-month time point unless indicated by symptoms. At 6 months, 1 year, and yearly intervals thereafter, all patients received an endoscopy study to ascertain the presence of a recurrence, regardless of symptoms. Recurrence was defined as over 2 cm or 10% of the stomach above the diaphragm detected by CT, esophagogram or endoscopy. In addition, an extensive search was conducted using Pub Med in order to extract references to the cardiovascular complications of HH. Results: 423 patients underwent RRHH. With a long-term follow-up, there was a significant decrease in the Median Symptom Severity Score from 42.0 preoperatively, to 3.0 postoperatively. Recurrence was seen in 5 patients (5/423) for a recurrence rate of 1.1%. Conclusion: This experience has been the basis of two important realizations: 1) all patients with GHH have at least some degrees of clinically relevant compression of the inferior vena cava and the left atrium which causes tamponade and cardiogenic dyspnea which completely resolves after successful surgical repair;and 2) primary care providers and gastroenterologists who usually treat patients for GHH repair rarely recognize cardiac compression and tamponade as the cause of the shortness of breath and gradual increase in dyspnea on exertion and progressive fatigability in these patients. This article reviews the present understanding of GHH, the cardiac complications which result from GHH and the most advanced robotic minimally invasive surgical approach to the anatomic and physiologic repair of GHH.

Robotic Surgery of the Mediastinum: A Review

Background: The mediastinum is a complex anatomical region which contains many vital structures. Many aspects of mediastinal surgery, like that for other anatomic regions, have evolved from a maximally invasive approach involving a median sternotomy, anterior mediastinotomy, mediastinoscopy or thoracotomy, to a minimally invasive video-assisted approach. Robotic surgery is presently the most advanced form of minimally invasive surgery. Methods: We reviewed our experience with a robotic approach to mediastinal pathology. In addition, an extensive search was conducted using PubMed, in order to extract references for the application of robotics to surgical conditions of the mediastinum. Results: The first robotic procedure by our group was a mediastinal procedure in 2003. In the past eighteen years, 203 patients have undergone robotic surgery for mediastinal pathology. There were 119 procedures for the Anterior Mediastinum, 33 procedures for the Middle Mediastinum, and 51 procedures for the Posterior Mediastinum. 78 patients underwent robotic thymectomy using a left-sided approach. 43/78 (55%) patients underwent radical thymectomy for Myasthenia Gravis. Thymoma was histologically identified in 32% of patients with Myasthenia Gravis. In patients with thymoma, there was no tumor recurrence. In patients with Myasthenia Gravis, the overall improvement rate after robotic radical complete thymectomy was 91% (39/43). Following robotic surgery for the mediastinal disease, the median hospitalization was 3 days, major complications occurred in 0.9% of patients and there was no mortality. Conclusion: With the advent of robotic surgery, many of the current surgical approaches to diseases of the mediastinum will likely be replaced over time by robotic surgery. When applied to the mediastinum, robotics has a number of benefits when compared to conventional Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) including three-dimensional visualization, magnification of the operative field, precise instrument movement, and improved dexterity. Much of the mediastinal disease encountered in an adult is benign, making it especially suited to a minimally invasive approach. With the use of the robot, a complete anatomical and oncological procedure can be performed through a number of small incisions or ports, while at the same time providing the patient with minimally invasive benefits including shorter hospitalizations, quicker returns to preoperative activity, less pain, less inflammatory response and better cosmesis. The excellent range of motion of the robotic instruments makes them particularly suitable to maneuver around the vital structures and the rigid axial skeleton encountered in various compartments of the mediastinum, and for reaching those “distant” areas of the mediastinum that are difficult to explore and dissect with conventional Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS).

Overall rate, location, and predictive factors for positive surgical margins after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy for high-risk prostate cancer

We report the overall rate, locations and predictive factors of positive surgical margins （PSMs） in 271 patients with high-risk prostate cancer. Between April 2008 and October 2011, we prospectively collected data from patients classified as D＇Amico high-risk who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Overall rate and location of PSMs were reported. Stepwise logistic regression models were fitted to assess predictive factors of PSM. The overall rate of PSMs was 25.1% （68 of 271 patients）. Of these PSM, 38.2% （26 of 68） were posterolateral （PL）, 26.5% （18 of 68） multifocal, 16.2% （11 of 68） in the apex, 14.7% （10 of 68） in the bladder neck, and 4.4% （3/68） in other locations. The PSM rate of patients with pathological stage pT2 was 8.6% （12 of 140）, 26.6% （17 of 64） of pT3a, 53.3% （32/60） of pT3b, and 100% （7 of 7） of pT4. In a logistic regression model including pre-, intra-, and post-operative parameters, body mass index （odds ratio [OR]. 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI]： 1.01-1.19, P = 0.029）, pathological stage （pT3b or higher vs pT2; OR： 5.14; 95% Ch 1.92-13.78; P = 0.001） and percentage of the tumor （OR： 46.71; 95% CI： 6.37-342.57; P 〈 0.001） were independent predictive factors for PSMs. The most common location of PSMs in patients at high-risk was the PL aspect, which reflects the reported tumor aggressiveness. The only significant predictive factors of PSMs were pathological outcomes, such as percentage of the tumor in the specimen and pathological stage.