Continuous Low-Dose Aspirin Therapy in Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy Does Not Increase Risk of Surgical Hemorrhage

Abstract Background: Withdrawal of oral antiplatelet therapy (OAT) is a major risk factor for stent thrombosis, myocardial infarction, and cerebral strokes. In order to minimize the risk for thrombotic complications, since 2007 robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) has taken place under continuous OAT with aspirin at our institution. In this retrospective study we analyzed the risk for perioperative bleeding and surgical outcome after RARP with OAT. Patients and Methods: All patients who underwent RARP with aspirin OAT at our institution since 2007 were included in this analysis. The OAT group was compared with a group that underwent RARP without OAT, which contained twice the number of patients. Matching of the two groups was performed with regard to the tumor stage and whether a lymph node dissection or nerve-sparing was performed. Results: Thirty-eight patients were assigned to the OAT group and 76 to the control group. A difference in the decrease of postoperative hemoglobin conce...