Intraoperative and postoperative complications were assessed in 44 patients undergoing pelvic lymph node dissection for staging of prostatic cancer. In 24 cases an open surgical lymphadenectomy was performed and in the other 20 cases the lymphadenectomy was by laparoscopic approach. Complications in the surgical group were 3 (12%), more or less the same as those of the laparoscopic group (2 cases, 10%). In our opinion with experience of laparoscopic surgical principles, the risk of complications may be minimized so that laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy offers a reliable and minimally invasive alternative to open dissection in selected patients.
