Advantages include minimal scarring, decreased blood loss, and decreased analgesic requirements than standard radical prostatectomy.
Radical prostatectomy advantages over open retro pubic radical prostatectomy include less intraoperative blood loss, and better visualization of the surgical field.
Risk of complications for open radical prostatectomy 27%, compared to 22% for laparoscopic prostatectomy.
In a nonrandomized prospective analysis of 1450 men with clinically localized cT1-cT3a prostate cancer: the median number of lymph nodes retrieved was 7% in both groups, positive surgical margin similar in both groups at 11%, no difference noted in biochemical progression rates, during a median follow-up of 18 months, recovery of sexual function similar at 2 months, patients with laparoscopic surgery were more likely to be incontinent, laparoscopic patients required fewer transfusions, shorter hospital stays, but more emergency department visits and hospital readmissions (Touijer).