Complications of nerve sparing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.

Nerve sparing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection is standard treatment method for early stage non-seminomatous germ cell tumor. However, an alternative approaches (surveillance policy, adjuvant and primary chemotherapy) have approximately the same capability for cure. Therefore, the current debate is to decide which is less morbid for the patient at risk. We assessed associated complications of nerve sparing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection in 33 patients (25 with clinical stage I and 8 with clinical stage IIA) treated at our center from June 1996 to November 2005. There were 7 (21%) complications (2 intraoperative, 4 early minor and 1 early major) in 6 out of the 33 operated patients. There were no late complications. Antegrade ejaculation was preserved in 30 patients (91%). Postoperatively 19 out of 33 patients were classified as pathological stage I and 14 as pathological stage IIA. Both groups were balanced with respect to distribution of complications. The data indicate that nerve sparing RPLND is a well tolerated urologic procedure with a low early and no late morbidity.