Table 3 Summary of key results from included studies evaluating local/regional analgesia techniques in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (^a indicates laparoscopic or robotic approach)

 Allaire 1992 [11]

Epidural fentanyl versus morphine

↓↓ at rest

-

-

 Gupta 2004 [22]

Epidural ropivacaine, fentanyl and adrenaline plus placebo via IV-PCA versus epidural placebo and morphine via IV-PCA

↓↓ at rest and on coughing

-

-

 Hohwü 2006 [27]

Epidural ropivacaine versus bupivacaine infiltration + oral oxycodone

NS

-

-

 Liu 1995 [31]

Epidural hydromorphone versus hydromorphone via IV-PCA

NS at rest and on coughing

-

-

 Gottschalk 1998 [20]

Preemptive epidural fentanyl (4 μg/kg) versus preemptive epidural bupivacaine (5mg/ml) and postoperative morphine versus postoperative morphine and bupivacaine. All patients received postoperative epidural morphine (0.1mg/ml) and bupivacaine (0.5mg/mL)

↓↓ at rest in both preemptive groups

↓↓ in bupivacaine group only

-

 Hong 2011 [28]

Epidural ropivacaine versus epidural ropivacaine (3mg/ml) plus sufentanil (1 μg/ml) versus epidural placebo

↓ at rest

↓↓

-

 Aribogan 2003 [13]

Epidural combination of tramadol and bupivacaine versus tramadol only versus bupivacaine alone

↓↓ at rest

↓↓

-

 Heid 2007 [26]

Epidural ropivacaine versus bupivacaine

NS at rest and on coughing

NS

-

 Fant 2011 [18]

Epidural ropivacaine and fentanyl versus ropivacaine via intra-abdominal catheter

↓↓ at rest and on coughing

↓↓

-

 Andrieu 2009 [12]

Intrathecal morphine 4 μg/kg versus morphine 4 μg/kg plus clonidine 1 μg/kg versus placebo

↓↓ at rest and on movement in both treatment groups for 18 h. Clonidine extended duration by 6 h.

↓↓

↓

 Brown 2004 [16]

Intrathecal morphine 0.2 mg and clonidine 75 μg

↓↓

↓↓

-

 Nuri Deniz 2013 [56]

Intrathecal morphine 0.2 mg

↓↓

↓↓

-

 Wu 2005 [43]

Subfascial bupivacaine versus placebo

NS at rest and on movement

NS

-

 Kristensen 2013 [61]

subfascial bupivacaine versus placebo

NS

NS

-

 Elkassabany 2013 [59]

TAP block versus placebo

↓↓

↓↓

-

 Weinberg 2014 [49]

Dorsal penile nerve block with bupivacaine vs. placebo^a

NS

NS

-

 Lee 2011 [46]

Magnesium under remifentanil-based anaesthesia versus placebo under remifentanil-based anaesthesia magnesium under remifentanil-based anaesthesia versus placebo under desflurane-based anaesthesia^a

↓↓ on movement

↓↓

↓↓

NS on movement

NS

NS

 Tauzin-Fin 2009 [42]

Infiltration of ropivacaine plus magnesium versus infiltration of ropivacaine plus magnesium, IV

NS at rest

↓↓

↓↓