@article{3097162,
    title = "Local steroid application during nerve-sparing radical retropubic
prostatectomy",
    author = "Deliveliotis, C and Delis, A and Papatsoris, A and Antoniou, N and and Varkarakis, IM",
    journal = "BJU international (Papier)",
    year = "2005",
    volume = "96",
    number = "4",
    pages = "533-535",
    publisher = "Wiley",
    doi = "10.1111/j.1464-410X.2005.05679.x",
    keywords = "prostate cancer; radical prostatectomy; management; steroids",
    abstract = "Objective To evaluate the effect on potency rates after surgery of
applying local steroids to the neurovascular bundles (NVBs) of the
prostate after bilateral nerve-sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy
(BNS-RRP).
Patients and Methods Sixty potent men undergoing BNS-RRP for clinically
localized prostate cancer were prospectively randomized equally into two
groups. In group 1, 10 mL of betamethasone cream 0.1% was applied
locally to both NVBs, and group 2 had only the usual BNS-RRP with no
corticoid cream. Complications and potency were evaluated at 3, 6 and 12
months in all patients and compared between the groups.
Results At 12 months, 57% and 60% of patients were potent in group 1
and 2, respectively; the respective mean International Index of Erectile
Function (5-item) scores were 14.76 and 15.43 (P = 0.59). Potency rates
at 3, 6 and 12 months were not significantly different between the
groups, and the continence rates at 12 months were also similar, with
93% and 90% of patients in groups 1 and 2 being continent,
respectively. Ten and five patients in groups 1 and 2, respectively,
required a blood transfusion (P = 0.23). There were no fistulae, wound
dehiscence or rectal perforations. One patient in group 2 presented 4
months after RRP with a bladder neck contracture.
Conclusions Local application of betamethasone does not improve or
expedite the recovery of erectile function after BNS-RRP, but there were
no complications associated with its use."
}