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Morbidity and mortality associated with radical prostatectomy
Source: Prostate Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: May 14, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
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An analysis of Medicare records on 101,604 radical prostatectomies performed from 1991 to 1994 showed the following results:[39]
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A 30-day operative mortality rate of 0.5%.
A rehospitalization rate of 4.5%.
A major complication rate of 28.6%.
Over the study period, these rates decreased by 30%, 8%, and 12%, respectively.[39]
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The following outcomes were associated with prostatectomies done at hospitals where fewer of the procedures were performed than those done at hospitals where more were performed:[40,41]
Higher rates of 30-day postoperative mortality.
Major acute surgical complications.
Longer hospital stays.
Higher rates of rehospitalization.
Operative morbidity and mortality rates increase with age. Comorbidity, especially underlying cardiovascular disease and a history of stroke, accounts for a portion of the age-related increase in 30-day mortality.
In a cohort of all men with prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy from 1990 to 1999 in Ontario, 75-year-old men with no comorbidities had a predicted 30-day mortality of 0.74%. Thirty-day surgical complication rates also depended more on comorbidity than age (i.e., about 5% vs. 40% for men with 0 vs. ≥4 underlying comorbid conditions, respectively).[41]
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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice