Unidirectional barbed suture for vesicourethral anastomosis during laparoscopic radical prostatectomy

INTRODUCTION: We investigated the impact of unidirectional barbed suture (UBS) for vesicourethral anastomosis (VUA) during laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

METHODS: The polyglyconate UBS V-Loc 180 was used for VUA during laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in 30 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with organ-confined prostate cancer between January and October 2012. The operative and postoperative parameters were then compared with those of 30 consecutive patients who had previously undergone the same procedure but with the monofilament poliglecaprone suture Monocryl. All procedures were performed by the same experienced surgeon.

RESULTS: VUA time was significantly shorter in the V-Loc group (13.2 ± 2.3 min) than in the Monocryl group (19.1 ± 3.3 min) (P < 0.001). The V-Loc group required significantly more stitches than the Monocryl group (11.4 ± 1.3 vs 10.6 ± 1.6 stitches; P = 0.031). The percentage of patients who required no more than one pad per day at 3 months postoperatively was significantly higher in the V-Loc group (63.3%) than in the Monocryl group (23.3%) (P = 0.020). No significant differences in other perioperative parameters were observed between the two groups.

CONCLUSION: Using UBS prevents suture slippage and enables tieless anastomosis. VUA using a UBS may relieve surgeon stress because a rapid and secure anastomosis is achievable.